


Learning To Love

by WritingCoffeeAddiction



Category: Hannah Montana (TV), Orange is the New Black
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Parenting, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Dark and Heavy Themes, Dissociation, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/F, Family Issues, Father/Daughter Rape, Female Friendship, Forced Pregnancy, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Lesbian Sex, Mental Abuse, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Neglectful Mother, Non-Canon Lesbians, Non-Canon Relationship, Past Child Abuse, Past Drug Addiction, Past Drug Use, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Self-Mutilation, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Strong Friendships, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Therapy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Verbal Abuse, Verbal Humiliation, childhood neglection, failed suicide, mature themes, mentally ill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 23:49:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 87,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10057475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingCoffeeAddiction/pseuds/WritingCoffeeAddiction
Summary: Nicky Nichols and Lilly Truscott are half sisters who have been trying to survive in a world full of pain. They befriend another pair of half sisters, Lorna Morello and Miley Stewart - Lorna who has a mind that doesn't always work well in the real world and Miley who just wants to find someone to love. When life becomes too much, will these four women pull together and survive? Lorna/Nicky and Lilly/Miley





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own either shows or any of the characters. I do own the writing, story, and my two original characters (Julian and Cooper).
> 
> So, I know this is an odd crossover of shows (OITNB and Hannah Montana) but I love them both so much and I couldn't help myself when this idea came to me. This is actually the first story I wrote that had characters from OITNB in it - I only just started watching the show last January (2016). 
> 
> (Side note: This will mainly focus on Lorna and Nicky, just to be clear! But I'm not going to completely ignore Lilly and Miley.)
> 
> I've been contemplating whether to upload this story on here - mainly because I know most people won't read it as it's included characters from such a drastically different show like Hannah Montana lol (a G-rated show that used to be on Disney channel, for crying out loud). But I'm just going to post it and see what happens. If people like it, that's cool - if not, I wasn't expecting them to anyway! And of course, none of the content within this story is g-rated! I love to write dark, angst-filled stories. 
> 
> Anyway, here it is. I hope if you read this, you find it somewhat enjoyable! :)

Marka Nichols was a dead-beat mother to her two daughters, twenty-seven year old Nicole - rather - Nicky Nichols, and twenty-three year old Lillian, or, Lilly Truscott. Both daughters were unplanned, and from two different men. Nicky's father died before she was even born and Lilly's father, Paolo Truscott, hated children and was Marka's boyfriend for many years. He tortured both of them frequently when they were young, but especially Lilly. She was a much more vulnerable child - very quiet and reserved. Nicky, on the other hand, didn't take shit from anyone. Whenever Paolo would try to touch her, she would fight him until he just gave up.

Now that the two women were young adults and could make up their own minds, they got as far away from him as possible. Nicky lived in an apartment about two miles away from where she worked, - she got a job as a bar tender at one of the local bars -, along with her sister, who she practically had to drag to the building. There was no way she was going to let the girl stay with such an evil man. Lilly refused to live with her sister, not because she didn't like living with her, but because she didn't want to be a bother. She had a crappy job, that paid even less than minimum wage (she works as a caregiver at a Nursing Home), and knew that wouldn't be enough to help pay the rent. Though she was taking courses online for college, working hard to get a Bachelor's degree in Education, so that one day she might be able to get a decent paying job.

The end of April was the worst time of the year for Lilly, finals were coming up and her boss wanted her to work all hours of the day. And she couldn't say no to it because she knew how much she needed the money. So as she walked in the door at three in the morning, instead of putting on pajamas and going to sleep - like any other person would do - she found herself making a pot of coffee and setting her laptop up on the table. She groaned in frustration as she looked at the time above the stove; she dreaded having to spend the next three hours studying. But she needed to pass these exams, she needed to keep her grades above a B average if she wanted to get into a better school.

Nicky came in, from down the hall, to get her usual glass of water and for a second just stood watching her sister. She let out a sigh while grabbing a glass from the cabinet. She brought the glass over to the sink, filling it up with cold-tap water, and then sat down at the table across from Lilly. Her young sister, who she thought worked too hard in life. "You just get home?" The redhead asked, in her deep-raspy voice, but already knew what her answer would be.

Sipping the strong coffee and looking over the screen of her laptop to stare into her sister's brown eyes, Lilly nodded. "I was supposed to be done at midnight, but they needed extra help tonight. I couldn't refuse, I need the money. These classes aren't getting any cheaper, and I'm paying this months rent myself. I owe you that, Nicky." Her older sister had always been taking care of her so the least she could do was spare her from having to spend her hard earned money on a month of rent.

"You don't owe me a thing, kid," Nicky gulped her water down, placing it in the sink, then gently embraced her sister, "You work too hard, Lilly. You don't need to pay the entire rent, you need the money for your classes. I'm not taking college courses or doing much with my money, so I can pay half the rent. You're taking classes so that you can do something better for your life and that's really damn good of you, Lil. Cause we've had a real shitty life growing up with our fucked up mother and your sickeningly evil ass father."

* * *

Making friends had never been easy for Lilly, she wasn't much of a talker and mostly kept to herself. So when she found herself -more often than not- chatting away with a coworker of hers, Lorna Morello, she was a bit surprised. The dark haired Italian woman, who spent the majority of her shifts answering calls behind the receptionist desk, always seemed to have something to say and Lilly was a great listener.

"Thank God it's Friday!" Lorna's chirpy voice, with a heavy Brooklyn accent, spoke. She and Lilly just sat down for their lunch break at a restaurant right across the street. They had done that for the past month that they've been friends. "What are your plans for the weekend, Lilly?"

Lilly smiled in agreement, she was happy to have the weekend off even just to spend it studying for exams. She was also grateful to have befriended such a nice coworker. Most of the women who worked there were rude and careless. "Gotta study for classes, finals are coming up here soon. What about you?" It astonished her to see how easy it was to have a conversation with someone other than her older sister. All through her childhood and adolesence trying to open her mouth and let words come out was her biggest fear.

Sipping the Pepsi in front of her, Lorna's smile grew at the thought of her busy weekend ahead with her beloved fiance. "What're ya going for?" She asked, remembering how much she enjoyed going to college and not just because she was away from home. "Well you know my fiance, Christopher, I've been tellin' you about? He and I are spending the weekend in Albany, visiting his parents and whatnot!"

"Education...I'd love to be a teacher someday," the blonde responded, though she hadn't the first clue as to what she wanted to teach. She took a sip of her soda while looking over at her friend with a smile - she enjoyed the many stories Lorna had told her about this man named Christopher. "That sounds like a nice weekend, I hope the two of you have a great trip! You'll have to tell me all about it during our lunch break on Monday."

* * *

Eight O'Clock that evening Nicky came walking in the door of her shared apartment, exhausted after a long shift at work. She opened the fridge to get herself a much needed can of Diet Coke and shook her head when she looked over at her sister, who was back to studying. "You should take a break from that...You've been studying like crazy these past couple weeks! One night of relaxing ain't gonna make you fail, Lil." Her voice firm while she gulped down the soda in her hand. Lilly could be so stubborn sometimes, Nicky thought to herself. She did envy her work ethic, but not when the girl barely had time to sleep or go out with friends.

Lilly shrugged slightly and continued to type away on her laptop. She wished she could take the time to just relax and enjoy her weekend off, especially since it was the first weekend she had off in almost a year. "I'd love to just take a break from this, Nicky. I really would! But I've got a paper due tonight, another Sunday, and three exams next week. There's no way I can fit in time to relax or _anything_ for that matter. Which fucking sucks because I haven't had a weekend off in forever it seems like!" The anger and stress came boiling up in her as she tried to keep herself from losing it. She loathed letting out what she felt inside, never wanting to release her problems onto anyone other than herself, but dealing with long hours at work and all the stuff she had to get done for school she couldn't control that anymore.

The redhead could easily see the tension building up in her sister, reminding her of when she was being abused by her satanic father, so she walked closer to the table and closed the laptop. She looked down at Lilly with a slight sterness, and concern, "You need to take a break. You are pushing yourself too hard, Lilly, and you'll burn yourself out if you keep doing so. You are going to come with me, whether you want to or not, and meet some of the people I work with down at the bar. They're all nice people, and there's actually one who I think would make a great friend for you!" She could see the refusal in the younger woman's eyes which made her sigh, patting her head in motherly nature, "Your paper will still be here when we get back...I promise, kid. It's not like it's gonna magically jump outta your laptop and fly away." That earned a small chuckle from her sister, making her laugh as well.

When they arrived at the bar, where Nicky enjoyed working, Lilly couldn't help but tense up. She never liked bars, especially after being dragged around there all the time by her father. Any time Paolo had to look after her by himself he would go out with friends and drink until he couldn't remember that she was his daughter. That's when terrible, unforgivable things would happen to Lilly - things that she could never speak about to anyone.

Nicky noticed how her sister's normally rosy cheeks had an unusual paleness to them which caused concern to wash over her. She wrapped an arm protectively around her, giving her a gentle squeeze, "It's safe here, Lil. I know everyone who comes here and believe me, they won't touch you." She didn't know about Paolo's taking her to bars, but she did know how frightened Lilly could become around people she didn't know [mostly men] and there were plenty surrounding them.

Just seeing men around her had Lilly fearing the worst, but she tried to keep herself together. She didn't want to cause a scene or ruin the night so she silently nodded and followed her sister. Trust was something she found hard to do, but she knew she could always trust Nicky. "Okay," her voice no louder than a whisper.

"Is this your sister, Nicky?" A chestnut haired woman, with a slight southern accent, questioned, "She looks familiar...hmm, oh wait a minute! She works at the nursing home with my sister, Lorna...She's always talking about her. Small world, isn't it? Your name's Lilly, right?" She smiled kindly at the blonde, reaching over to shake her hand.

Lilly looked at her with a slow nod and confusion overtaking her as she heard that. "You're Lorna's sister? Well it's nice to meet you...uhm, Franny is it? I think that's what she said your name was." In all honesty, she couldn't imagine that this woman standing in front of her was even remotely related to her bubbly coworker. Afterall, they had two completely different accents.

For a brief second the woman's eyes went dark, but that faded quickly as she smiled brightly. "No, no, that's her older sister. I'm Miley, her younger one. Lorna, Lorna - her mind gets fuzzy sometimes - she's too caught up in her relationship to remember how many sisters she has! I'm sure she talks your ear off about good ole' _Christopher_." She laughs lightly, but it's easy to tell that something isn't quite right.

Nicky watched the two talk with a smile, she knew they would get along well. She gently pat the top of her sister's head as she whispered, "I'll be right back, Lil. Gotta use the restroom, have fun with your new friend. You'll be fine, she's a good person." She gave her a comforting smile before leaving the room.

Gulping, Lilly tried to focus on the conversation she was having with the woman in front of her. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that men were staring at her, wanting to harm her. "Sounds like they're really happy together, Lorna said that they're leaving for Albany tomorrow to visit his parents. I love listening to the great stories she tells me about the two of them!" Lorna's stories were the only things that made her get through the day at work, they were cheerful and positive something that nearly everyone else lacked there.

Miley had to nearly hold her breath to stop herself from letting out a laugh. The thought that anyone actually believed Lorna's stories cracked her up. "You really think her stories are real?" When she saw Lilly nod, and a very confused look on her face, her thoughts of laughing faded and she shook her head, "I wasn't kidding when I said that Lorna's got a fuzzy mind..."

"What are you - Huh?" Lilly's blue eyes were wide in thought, "Are you trying to say that - that she made Christopher up?" The thought made her stomach turn, she really couldn't trust anyone these days. How could she be so naive? It didn't make a damn bit of sense to her that this woman she befriended at work could possibly make up something so big. She didn't think anyone could do such a thing.

Again, for a brief second, Miley's green eyes went dark as she looked at her, sighing. "Oh no, _Christopher_ is definitely real...but their relationship is nowhere near real. Lorna loves to dream big, so much that she actually believes her dreams are real. She believes that she and _Christopher_ are engaged, but that couldn't be further from them truth." When she sees the shock and hurt in Lilly's eyes, she can't help but look at her with empathy, "Sorry to shock you with all that, but you shouldn't have to be pulled into her dreams as well. Lorna's a good person though, Lilly, so don't make this information stop you from being her friend. She wouldn't hurt a fly - she just doesn't always think clearly."

Lilly slowly nodded, taking in all the information but not able to process it. She found herself backing away from the woman, so much that she felt something touch her which then made her jump in fear. She could barely bring herself to look at what she backed into, and her heart started to beat faster as she stared into the eyes of an angry [drunken] man. Her face pale as a ghost and sweat dripping down her face, the blonde friskly ran out of the building and down the sidewalk. She needed to get away from the place, too many painful memories came swirling in her head. She ran for as long as she could until she found a quiet place to sit and catch her breath.

Nicky came back a few minutes later, hoping all was well. She figured the two would probably still be talking - rather Miley the one talking and Lilly listening. But when she got a closer look, seeing her sister's absence and her brunette coworker staring at the door with deep worry, she felt her heart sink. Something definitely wasn't right; she quickened her pace, looking across at the woman, "What the hell happened? Where's Lilly?!" Anger rose within her, not towards Miley or her sister, but at the fact that someone could have taken the frightened blonde.

"I think I may have told her something about my sister...that may have shocked her..." Miley shakily responded, still worried at how quick the young girl ran out of there, "I'm really sorry, Nicky! I didn't mean to upset your sister!" The chestnut woman apologized, feeling awful for what had just occurred. She didn't think Lilly would react in such a way.

The angry redhead shook her head, "It's not your fault. Lil's been through a lot of pain and torment in her life, I think she's just feeling overwhelmed right now. I gotta go find her and take her home! I'll see you at work tomorrow," She rushed out of the bar, trying to figure out where her sister could have even gone. Lilly barely left the apartment, aside from her job, so it's not like she knew the town. Nicky groaned in frustration, not knowing where to begin looking for the girl. She ran faster down the street, hoping to see her somewhere. As she continued to run she could hear a faint scream come from a hidden alley; her heart stopped.

Lilly hadn't even been sitting there for two minutes before she felt herself being gagged and a strong hand covering her eyes. She wondered if the man that she had accidently backed into followed her and was now going to kill her. Her body felt numb, tears welled in her eyes as she thought of what happened to her as a child - by her own father. Memories that still haunted her today, ones that could never be erased.

When Nicky finally made it to where the scream came from, rage surged through her as she witnessed what was about to be done to her sister - her baby sister. She came charging at them, wanting to kill all three of them with her bare hands. "Get the _fuck_ off my sister! She is not a fucking toy that you dip-shits can play with!" She seethes, walking closer, trying to figure out a way to grab her sister and pull her away from them. "Get your filthy fucking hands off her right fucking now! I will kill all three of you evil assholes with my bare hands if you don't take your hands off of her within the next second..."

Hearing her sister's voice brings a little relief to Lilly, but she can still feel her body shaking in fear. She can't see what's going on but she can feel it and hear it. "Nnnnicky," Her muffled cry for help as she tries so desperately to get out from the men's strong hold on her. "Hhhhelp!" She didn't think her sister could hear her, but she hoped that she could.

"I'm here, Lil. I'm here - I'm not leaving until you're safe and right here with me. It's all gonna be okay, my sweet baby sister; I won't let them hurt you, just listen to my voice baby. You're okay; you're going to be okay!" Her rage and anger softens immediately when she speaks to Lilly, trying hard to bring her comfort even though the situation is anything but okay. She continues to walk closer, her fists shaking with anger. She looks the men dead in the eye, "Give me my sister, now. Whatever you want, you tell me and I'll give it to you. But you fucking leave Lilly the hell outta it!"

The man, who's hand is covering Lilly's eyes, rolls his eyes as he harshly tosses the girl into Nicky's arms. "Where the fuck are those drugs you told us you had, Nichols? Huh? You said you had a whole stash of it layin' round' your apartment, so where is it?" He looks at her angrily, clenching his hand in a fist.

The minute she felt her sister in her arms, she held her tight while stroking her hair over and over to hopefully help calm her down. "Shhh, it's okay now, Lil. You're safe with me, kid; I will never ever let anything like this happen to you again," Nicky warmly whispered to the frightened woman. Then she looked over at the man, in complete rage as she shook her head, "Jesus Christ! You fucking scared the shit outta my sister for stupid ass drugs?! Really? Are you that evil of a human? No don't answer that - You _are_! All three of you are that fucking evil." She flipped him the finger as she started walking away, holding Lilly close, "Oh and I stopped using a while ago, flushed that nasty ass shit down the toilet! But even if I did still have it, you three dicks on legs would be the _last_ ones I'd ever sell to. Not after how fucking traumatized you made this sweet, innocent girl."

* * *

Nicky knew the minute she saw what was happening to Lilly that she would be having nightmares for a long while. But that didn't stop her from feeling her heart break when she woke up in the middle of the night to her sister's tearful pleas and terrified screaming. She quickly rushed into her room and lay beside her, scooping her into a soothing embrace, "Lilly - Lilly, it's okay," she whispered gently into her ear, running her hand up and down her back knowing that always seemed to calm her. "Shh, shh. Everything is okay now, you're safe with me. Relax, Lil, _relax_. You need to calm down, kid - you're only gonna feel worse if you keep gettin' yourself worked up. I know it hurts and you're scared, but I promise you that everything will be fine. I'll take care of you, Lil, and I will _not_ let anything like this happen again." She gently laid Lilly against her, something she's done since they were children, and pressed a motherly kiss to her forehead.

Lilly woke up in a panic the next morning, memories of last night tormenting her mind and the stress of the papers she had to finish made her feel even worse. She hurriedly jumped out of her bed and ran to her laptop, which had still been sitting at the table. She slid the screen back and felt nauseous when she saw that her work had been erased. She hit her head on the table in frustration, and felt tears come pouring down her face. "Why can't anything ever go right for me?!" She questioned, her voice raw and hoarse from all the crying she'd done in her sleep.

The redhead, who Lilly hadn't realized was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, walked over to her and pulled her into her arms, "What happened, Lilly?" She asked softly, rocking her distraught sister soothingly. "Tell me what's the matter, I'm here - I'll help you, whatever the problem is. Something happen to the laptop?"

"The piece of shit fucking erased my paper - the stupid paper I spent hours on!" Lilly cried angrily, slamming her fist on the table. There was no way she could even think about writing that paper again in just a day - Nor was she going to be making the Dean's list this time. "I'm gonna fucking fail, Nicky. All the money I've worked for to pay for these stupid classes and it's all for nothing."

The anger and pain clearly coming out of Lilly really tore at the red-haired, older sister. She hated to see or hear her hurting, something that has gone on for the majority of their lives. "No, Lilly...it's not all for nothing! You're going to pass, I know you are. You're such a bright and intelligent person, you'll make it. It's gonna work out, baby, I promise it will. And if you need help with anything, tell me. I'm free all day - I can help you with your papers and studying. Don't throw all that way just because the shitty ass laptop deleted it. Besides, I might be able to get it back for you." She hugged Lilly from behind, hoping to soothe away her anger, "Calm down - everything will be fine, kid. I know it will."


	2. Chapter 2

Monday morning went by quickly for Lorna as she answered call after call. She enjoyed every minute of her job - helping families find a place where their loved ones would be well looked after brought such a joy to her heart. Helping people was one of Lorna's many passions in life. It kept her from dwelling on her own problems and made her feel like she had a purpose in life. So when she sat across from the blonde coworker, as she always did on her lunch break, and noticed how down she looked, she automatically went into her _'I need to help this person'_ mode.

"So how was your weekend?" Lorna asked, while wondering what could be bothering the usually happy woman. Maybe it was all those exams she had to study for. Well whatever it was, Lorna vowed to figure it out. Any reason to keep her own mind from wandering in circles trying to confuse her with things that weren't real.

Sitting across from her, Lilly tried her best to keep her issues at bay. She didn't want to think about them or discuss them with someone who she'd only known through work. "Eh I was mostly busy writing a paper for class. How was your trip with Christopher? Oh and I met your sister, Miley, the other night. She works with my older sister at the bar. Isn't that something?" She smiled - trying to cover up the anxiety and fear that tore through her. And she didn't even bother to mention what she heard about this Christopher guy. Even if he wasn't a real person, she still wanted to hear the stories that Lorna told of him. Besides what place was it of hers to say anything, anyway?

Anytime someone referred to Miley as her sister, the brunette shuttered and rolled her eyes. She hardly considered the girl a sister - she's only been around for a few years and waited until last December to mention such crucial information. " _Half_ -sister is what she is! We didn't even grow up together - she comes from some rich ass family in fucking the-middle-of-nowhere Tennessee. She's my dad's "pre-Catholic" daughter. And her mother never even said a damn word about being pregnant with his baby, she just up and left to Tennessee - marry her country singing hillbilly and have God only knows how many kids!" She didn't even realize how loud her voice was and how Lilly just sat there with her mouth open, probably in shock from all the information. "I'm sorry - I guess I get carried away sometimes...Anyway, our trip was lovely. He is such a great man! I can't wait to marry him. Are you dating anyone, Lilly?"

Shaking her head fiercly, Lilly smiled - again to cover up how much the thought of dating made her skin crawl. Dating a man would be her worst nightmare, she couldn't get the memory of the pain and fear that her father had caused her out of her. "No I'm not really, uhm, into that. I like school too much. But I'm glad everything is going so well with you and your fiance! That's great to hear," she hated her classes but would choose that over being anywhere near a man any day.

Lorna could always tell when someone was lying - one of her abilities she used to her advantage - but she smiled at her friend, the only friend she really could talk to without annoying the hell out of. "You know, we should hang out outside of work some time! A fourty-five minute lunch break isn't that much time to really have a good conversation," The Italian woman suggested, she loved going out with friends almost as much as she loved her beloved Christopher.

* * *

An hour before her long shift at the bar, Miley Stewart sat in the living room of her apartment as she held her phone to her ear listening to her brother go on and on about his new girlfriend. She rolled her eyes - it seemed like he had a new one every week. Though her older brother almost always got on her nerves, she was happy to hear from him; she missed her home back in Tennessee. The beautiful ranch house she grew up in with him, and her two loving parents - Robbie and Noelle - all of the animals they had running around their hundred acre property.

All of that changed three years ago, when she found a crumpled piece of paper in a box full of her mother's old photographs. That crumpled piece of paper turned out to be a paternity test - which revealed Robbie was not her biological father. The life she'd been living was all a lie, she couldn't believe it. When she brought the paper to her mother, eager for an explanation, she was told that that's just what it was - a piece of paper. Sick of the lies Miley made the hard decision to move as far away from them as possible. She wanted to search for her real father. The one her mother so desperately tried to keep away from her. And that's how she got to where she is today, living in her own apartment - five miles away from where the Morello's live - and working her ass off at a bar that doesn't pay shit. But she refuses any money Noelle and Robbie try to send to her. She's still very angry with her for building a life full of lies for her.

"Well it's been nice talkin' to ya, Jackson. Maybe this relationship will last longer than a day," The southern woman joked, "I've gotta get going...tell daddy I said hi and I love him. I hope he's doing well! I'll call him tomorrow." Although she refused to speak to her mother, she did talk to Robbie. It's not like it was his fault - apparently he hadn't known any of this either - and besides, he had always been there for her. He watched her take her first breath and was there to congratulate her when she graduated high school with distinguished honors. He would always be her dad.

After ending the call, the chestnut haired woman placed the phone in her pocket and started to get ready for work. She loved everything about her job, except the crappy pay, and was looking forward to getting out of her lonely apartment. All her coworkers were great and she befriended all of them - including Nicky Nichols, which made her remember the incident with the redhead's sister. She hoped all was well with that, especially since Nicky had called off the day after. Hopefully she'd find out today what all went on.

* * *

Once she arrived at the bar for her late night shift, she was happy to see that Nicky was already there and on drink-making duty with her. That meant she would get a chance to ask about her sister. Miley quickly went over to clock in, then over to where her coworker was. Since the night was still early they hadn't been too busy, which gave them time to talk while cleaning the machines and counter-tops. "Good to see you today, Nicky," she started, "Yesterday and Saturday we were swamped - it was like the world was ending or something." She wiped down one of the blenders with a fresh Lysol wipe while waiting to hear a response.

"We're always pretty swamped on the weekends! Everyone needs to stay up til' the whee hours of the morning to get drunk and then go home, have sex, and maybe do drugs," Nicky's raspy voice spoke with sarcasm and a smirk on her face, "I remember those days, sure was nice. What about you? Did you go through that phase yet?"

Miley couldn't help but laugh as she shook her head - the redhead always seemed to be cracking jokes which was one of the reasons she enjoyed working with her. It helped make the long hours fly by. "Well seeing as I'm already twenty-four and haven't gone through that phase, I don't think I ever will. At least not the drug phase anyway!" She said with another laugh, but started to wonder about the other's younger sister. She wanted to know what had caused her to run out of there, the other night, faster than a damn race horse. "Is everything okay with your sister? After the incident of her running outta her Friday night...and you're not coming that Saturday. I was just wondering what happened."

Nicky grit her teeth, the anger she felt at what those men almost did to her sister still boiled inside of her. She hated men almost as much as Lilly did, she hated that they tried to hurt such an innocent woman. But when she looked up at Miley, she placed a smile on her face. There was no way she would say a word to her about it - she didn't have the right to. "She was just really stressed out over her courses...poor kid's working herself to death. I had to stay home to help her with the many papers she had to write - couldn't let her burn herself out, ya know? Speaking of sisters, you were tellin' Lil about your sister Lorna? How come you never mentioned that you have a sister also? I hear the two of them are coworkers as well, how ironic is that?!" The redhead chuckled, but was intrigued to hear about this sister of Miley's - especially since she had befriended _her_ sister.

Shrugging, the chestnut woman looked over at her. "Well it's quite a long story, actually. I don't usually talk about my sibilings, but Lorna kept going on and on about her friend from work so when I saw your sister, I had to say something. I kinda thought she was making it up, Lorna's not an easy person to be friends with - that's for sure. But I'm glad your sister has the heart to do so." Though she had her own place, Miley would always spend time at the Morello's to get to know her father and was shocked at what she learned about them. She realized how little attention he payed to Lorna's mental state and how he yelled constantly. It made her regret finding that _stupid_ crumpled piece of paper [sometimes]. She kind of understood why her mother hadn't want to tell her about this. Mr. Morello was not a good person, at least not in her eyes.

"Siblings? As in more than one? Jesus, how many fucking sibilings you got, kid?" Nicky wondered, shaking her head. She couldn't imagine what it would be like having more than a sister. That wasn't to say she didn't love her sister, because she did, but one was enough for her. "Well then, I'm glad they're friends - sounds like they both need one. Is your sister quiet, too?" Knowing that Lilly had a friend, made her feel a little less worried for her.

Miley went over to the sink to grab a wash cloth before using it to scrub the counters. She couldn't help but laugh, remembering when she thought she only had a brother. Then come to find out not only is he only a half-brother, but she also has three other _half_ siblings. "All together, four - four half siblings, to be honest. Lorna, Franny, and Michael - well they call him _Mikey_ \- they're all my father's kids. And my older brother, Jackson, who's my mother's son. How fucked up is that? And I only found out about my father and his kids a few years ago!" She rolled her eyes, continuing to scrub the counters that were sticky from having so many drinks being spilled on them. Then she laughed and shook her head, "Lorna's far from quiet - she could talk until your ears fall off. But she's one of the kindest people you'll ever meet."

A smirk grew on Nicky's face, relieved to know she's not the only one with a fucked up family. "We should start a fucked up family club or something, that's just crazy. I thought my family was fucked up, but yours - that's _majorly_ fucked up!" She wasn't usually one to talk to people about her family, but it seemed easy with her coworker. Especially since they could kind of relate to each other. "My mother, who is for sure a piece of shit, had me with one man and my sister with another. Then fucking left us with her monster of a father. Some family, eh? Anyway, you should bring your sister down here sometime - I would like to meet her, since you met mine. It's only fair!"

* * *

When Lorna arrived home from work, she couldn't wait to call Christopher and see what he was up to that evening. She hoped to see him, he hadn't really been spending any time with her lately. The trip to Albany, that she had gone on about to Lilly, never actually happened. He had sent her a text the night before telling her that she better not show up or he would kill her. Reading that text confused and terrified her - what had she done to make him say such a thing?

She dialed his number and impatiently waited through the rings, hoping he'd finally answer her call. It made her heart break a little more each time when his phone would go straight to voicemail. She couldn't remember what she had done to make him so angry. "Christopher, I don't know how many times I've had to talk to your voicemail but I would really appreciate it if you could give me a call back. I'm starting to worry...please call me back? I miss you," her voice near tears as she pressed end. She didn't know how much longer she could take this. She needed to know what was going on with the man she loved so deeply.

Getting in her car and throwing her purse onto the passenger seat, Lorna started to back out of the driveway. She was so upset and worried, she wondered if Christopher found someone else. Is that why he threatened to kill her? Angry, the brunette slammed on the gas as she sped away to his house. She had to see him - she needed to know what the hell was going on. If he was cheating on her with another woman, so help her God she would kill her. Christopher was her soulmate - he couldn't be with any other woman.

It took her ten minutes to get there, she parked her car on the curb and quickly ran to his front door, ringing the doorbell frantically. "Please Christopher, open the door. I need to see you!" She cried out, and felt relieved when she saw the door open. That quickly faded when she saw a woman, with long black hair, staring at her with a smirk on her face. She felt angry tears come rolling down her cheeks as she shook her head, "Who-Who the fuck are you?" Her voice full of anger as she questioned the unfamiliar woman.

" _I_ am Christopher's fiancee, Angela. Who the fuck are you, bitch? Oh wait a minute...I know who you are! You're his little stalker, Lorna Morello, is that right? I know all about you, bitch, and you are not coming anywhere near _my_ man. You set one foot in this house and I'll call the cops." The black haired woman hissed, a smirk still on her face. She shook her head and laughed at the thought of Christopher ever even considering being with someone like the pipsqueak standing in front of her. "What the fuck did he even see in you anyway? You look like a fucking ten year old _child_! Ain't no one _ever_ gonna love you, little Morello!"

Lorna felt her body shaking as she tried to hold in her cries and rage. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, there was no way that this woman was getting married to her soulmate. That couldn't be true. No that definitely could not be true. Christopher wouldn't do that to her - they loved each other. She didn't even realize that she had pushed Angela to the floor and had been about to strangle her when she heard Christopher's yelling. Her hands shook terribly, her eyes puffy and red, she stood and looked at him. "W-why? Why would you - Why would you choose her? I fucking love you, _Christopher!_ _I love you!_ Why are you marrying her? She's a whore, she doesn't fucking love you - not the way I do!" She felt her heart shattering inside of her, and wanted nothing more than to die. She'd rather be dead than to ever live in a world without Christopher as her husband.

He came outside, glaring at her so intensely that if looks could kill she'd be dead instantly. He harshly grabbed her shoulders and shook her angrily, "You may love me, Lorna, but I sure as hell don't love you. You are nothing to me, nothing! All you are is a fucking psychotic ass stalker who belongs in a fucking mental institution. Angela is much better person than you ever will be, she is my soulmate. She will be my wife and have my children someday. She is the woman I love and will spend the rest of my life with. Not you, Lorna. It was and will never be you. I don't care what kind of sick fantasy world you're living in, but this around us is the real fucking world. And in the real fucking world, you and I are not engaged. Now you have two choices - You can get the fuck outta here before I kill you or if you stay, I will call the police and have you arrested. Choice is yours, Lorna."

* * *

Locking up the building after closing up for the night, Nicky groaned. She couldn't wait to get home and fall into her bed, she was exhausted. The redhead tiredly walked to her car, turning it on, and started down the road. As she neared the bridge that she always drives over to get back to her place, she notices a figure standing a little too close to the edge. Her heart drops as she realizes she could be witnessing the end of someone's life. She quickly pulls over and gets out of her car, racing to the figure before something tragic happens. When she sees a small woman with dark brown hair, standing on the edge while looking down at the river and crying her eyes out, she quickens her pace. "What the hell are you doing out on a fucking bridge this time of night, kid?" She asks as she finally reaches the other woman, she can't help but feel concern for her.

"I ain't no kid," Lorna's shaky voice speaks, as she glances over to see who is trying to stop her from what she really wants to do. "You're not gonna stop me from doing this, if that's what you're thinking. Just go back in your car and drive way. You don't even know me, so what's it to you if I die? Huh?" Her legs are shaking as she stands there, all she wants is for this pain to stop. She wants everything to just stop and go away. The image of Christopher yelling in her face that she's nothing to him is reason enough for her to jump.

Nicky shakes her head, her brown eyes soft with compassion as she gently inches closer. "You're young; you've got so much living to do. You can't just end it because you're feeling down in the dumps today. Everyone has days like that, kid. I know you're not a kid, that's just what I call people. I'm not leaving unless you leave with me. I'm not going to let you do something that will affect the people who love you, because I'm sure you have a family who is sitting at home wondering where the hell you are." She speaks in a gentle tone, hoping to bring the woman to her senses. She would hate to see her end her life over pain that is only temporary.

Lorna shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, and looks over at the redhead. She couldn't understand why some complete stranger would even care to stop, yet alone get out of the car and try to help her. "No, you - you don't understand," her voice cracking as she sobs angrily, "This ain't just a bad fucking day. This is a bad fucking week-month-year- _life_..." She closes her eyes, trying to ignore the voices in her head that were telling her to stop. "I-I can't do this anymore, I just-I _can't_!"

Hearing the brokenness and pain clearly coming out of the woman's voice, Nicky couldn't help but empathize. She knew what it was like to have a shitty life and hit a breaking point. That's why she knew she had to help this poor girl. No matter how much pain she might be in, it certainly wasn't worth dying over. She didn't care that the two barely knew each other, she reached over and grabbed the broken person who nearly died right in front of her. She wrapped her in a comforting embrace, looking into her eyes softly, "Why don't you tell me what's going on that it's making you turn to death as your answer? Tell me what it is that's hurting you so much, kid, and maybe I can help you think of an answer that's better than killing yourself. How's that sound?" She held the distraught, sobbing woman tight in her arms. Though Nicky never admitted it to anyone, she had days where she wanted to jump off a bridge herself. But the thought of leaving her sister to fend for herself always brought her back to reality.

Sobs wracked Lorna's body as she let a complete stranger comfort her. As much as hated to admit it, she was grateful for this random woman stopping to help her. Because she was right, her family would be a mess if they found out she had actually committed suicide. Sure they knew she thought about it, but they didn't think she'd ever act on it. "My - My soulmate - Christopher, he-he wants nothing to-to do with me! We - we were engaged, we were planning a fucking wedding! And then - he- he has another fiancee..." Her voice breaks into sobs as she angrily looks out at the river, "Angela, that's his new fiancee. She-she's a whore and she's getting my soulmate! I can't live without Christopher! It's not fair, it's just not fair. I will never find anyone like him - he is my soulmate and the only person I'll ever love, I just - I wanna die, I rather be dead than ever see him with another woman. It hurts too fucking much!"

"Fucking asshole that Christopher is," Nicky hissed, shaking her head with rage. She held Lorna closer, stroking her back to help calm her down. "All men are fucking assholes, kid. Believe me I know that for a fact. You deserve better than this Christopher guy - what a sick son of a bitch. How can a man, anyone, do such a cruel thing? Did he think it was funny to fucking make you think that he's in love with you when he's got himself another dirty ass mistress waiting at home for him? I don't even know this sick fuck, but I'd like to find him and drag him out here - make him feel like he should end his life." She had to stop and take a breath, she truly did loathe all men. And this was why, they make women feel like shit and want to end their lives over their pathetic selves. She felt the brunette trembling in her arms, sobs escaping her like a madhouse. "He is not worth your life, not even close. You are a beautiful and, I'm sure, very sweet woman. You will find someone better, who will love and cherish you the way you deserve. This man is not your soulmate - what kind of fucking soulmate makes you hurt so bad that you would rather be dead? You deserve so much fucking better than that, kid." Nicky knew this was probably the last thing the woman wanted to hear, but it was the truth. No one deserves to be treated like that. She stroked her hair in the hopes of bringing her comfort, "You'll be okay, kid. You just have to get through the pain first, which will take a while but it gets better. Eventually. Why don't I bring you back to my place? It's late and cold out. You will call your family first thing in the morning and let them know that you're okay. Because I bet they are very worried about you." She carefully stood up, cradling the broken woman in her arms, and brought her to her car. She placed her in the passenger side, kneeling beside her, and looking warmly into her eyes, "I'll help you through this, kid. I've been down a similar road, and it ain't pretty. But with people on your side, you will get through it and be a better person because of it."


	3. Chapter 3

Lilly woke up to the sound of someone crying which had her scrunch her face up in confusion. She knew that definitely wasn't Nicky, her older sister always kept her emotions locked away. Curiosity peaked her as she found herself getting out of bed and walking down the hall, quietly looking into the older woman's room. What she saw shocked her to her core - the cries were coming from a petite brunette who she realized was her coworker Lorna. She walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, wondering how the two even met and what could of possibly happened to make Lorna cry so much.

The smell of coffee filled the room as Lilly grabbed a mug from the cabinet. She poured herself a cup, then went to sit at the table and quickly got to work on her laptop. Those cries from her sister's room pained her to hear - yet she knew whatever may be bothering her coworker that Nicky would help her through it. Something the redhead was good at, helping others with their problems. With a sigh she went back to working on her courses. But before she could get too caught up in her work, her phone went off.

"Hello?" She forgot to look at the ID so she wondered who on earth it could be. Not many people talked to her so she couldn't think of anyone who had her number. It was probably just a telemarketer - that seemed to be the only reason she heard her phone ringing these days.

When she heard the voice of the person on the other line, the color in her face drained instantly. "Oh Lillian, how great it is to hear your voice," Marka Nichols greeted her youngest daughter, her tone stone cold. "I was thinking that you should come back home, dear Lillian - your father and I sure do miss you. Besides I bet Nicole is getting sick of you're living off her." Lilly felt her heart beat faster as she listened to what the woman said - the woman who claimed to be their mother.

The thought of moving back in with her parents made her want to gag. She was terrified of her own father, and her mother didn't even care. Marka allowed the man to violate their own daughter and just swept it under the bridge. "I really rather not... And I mean I've got a job so Nicky and I share the rent - I don't like uh just live here and not do anything. Why are you calling anyway? Why would you want me to come back? You've always hated me." She tried not to sound weak but when it came to the people who raised her she couldn't help but feel fear.

"Oh please, your sister doesn't want to be stuck living with you. You need to come back with Paolo and I. There's much more space here than there is in that tiny apartment you two are staying in. I need you to come back because your father and I miss you. Maybe if you help him out we can get your college courses paid off." The blonde knew it was all a lie - that her father only wanted her to come home so that he could harm her more. But the thought of burdening her sister played in her mind which made her wonder if that were the case. Maybe it was best for her to go back home - let her sister live her own life and not worry about her.

* * *

After finishing her coffee, Lilly went to her room to pack up her things. She believed her mother had a point, that she was living off her sister because she had a crappy ass job. She needed to go back home - let the redhead have her space and free her from such a burden. She took a bag full of her clothes and started heading out of the room, through the hallway, and to the door. She didn't want to do this - to go back to a place where all she knew was pain - but she knew it wasn't right to be a bother to her older sister.

Nicky came in just as the blonde was about to open the door to leave. When she looked over at her and saw the bag of clothing in her arms, she felt a chill rush down her spine. "Where you goin', kid? You said you don't work today." Her face was flushed with worry and concern - where on earth did her sister think she was going with all her clothing packed up?

Hearing her sister's worried voice made Lilly freeze in her tracks. She couldn't tell her the truth because the woman would never allow her to go back to such a place. Yet she also knew that Nicky could see right through a lie. Sighing she turned to face her, "Well uhm, I am going home. I've realized that I'm not ready to live on my own - even though you're here as well - I just need to go home. They said they'll help me pay for my college if I come back...and I can use all the help I can get." _She_ didn't even buy what she was saying.

"No - _hell_ no, Lilly!" Nicky couldn't even begin to understand why her baby sister would let such a thought run through her mind. After all the torture she's been through and she's planning on going back. Over her dead body would she let that happen. "Why would you even fucking consider going back there?! Don't fucking tell me the bitch called you and is putting shit in your head again! She called you didn't she? Trying to reel you in so she can let that sick son of a bitch father of yours hurt you even more. You know everything that woman says is bullshit right? She tell you that your sister doesn't want you and that they miss you? Well that's a bunch of horse shit. All they miss is watching you suffer and I refuse to let you go back to that. You are not something that they can beat around with and laugh at with their friends."

Lilly knew everything her older sister said was true, that their mother would never change. She would always let her suffer and not do anything to stop it. But there was a tiny glimmer of hope inside of her that maybe this time would be different. Maybe their mother wanted to actually be a mother. "I - she might have changed. She said that if I come home that she'll help me pay for school. Maybe she's trying to make up for all the terrible things that have happened...I don't know. But I'm willing to give her a second chance. It would kinda be nice to possibly have her act like a real mom." She hated herself for lying and then making her way out the door before her sister even had a chance to stop her. But what her mother told her is why she was doing this in the first place. To let Nicky have her own life even if it meant she would live hers in a world of pain.

* * *

Nicky felt unimaginable rage that her mother had the audacity to even think of calling Lilly and making her feel so low that she would actually give in and move back in with them. She wanted to find her and scream at her until she couldn't speak another word. But before she could act on anything she heard small footsteps coming from the hallway and remembered the woman she had saved from making a tragic mistake last night. "Feelin' better today, kid? You call your family and let them know that you're okay?"

The shorter, brown-haired woman just stood in the middle of the hallway and stared at her with a blank expression. "You-You're Lilly's older sister? I work with her - she's a lovely person." She ignored the other's question on purpose - she wanted to erase yesterday's events from her mind. "She and I have our lunch breaks together. She doesn't seem to talk much but she is always smiling. Except the other day - it seemed like something was bothering her. But I didn't ask her about it cause' she looks like the type of person who doesn't like to share personal information. Which I can relate to." She was rambling, trying to make the other woman also forget about last night's incident.

"Yes I am her older sister - Nicky," the redhead replies but can tell she's just trying to change the subject as to not discuss what terrifying thing she had almost done last night. But Nicky doesn't say anything - she couldn't make her feel worse than she probably already felt. She gently takes Lorna's hand and brings her over to the table, "It's good to know that the two of you have found friendship with one another. Lilly's told me about you - I mean not that I knew you were the friend she's been talking when I found you last night - and you seem like a lovely person yourself. Your name is Lorna, right?" Her voice is gentle as she starts to make a fresh pot of coffee.

Lorna slowly nodded, keeping her eyes focused on the pattern of the wooden table she sat at. She traced the pattern with her finger memorizing every detail of it. "That would be me - Lorna Morello. I guess I oughta be going...sure my dad's called the police already." She spoke, her voice deadpanned. All her family saw in her was a mental case who made living with her quite a chore. Especially as her mental condition kept getting worse - when Christopher refused a second date, she created a fantasy world to live in because she couldn't handle anymore rejection. And that's what made her begin to stalk him, she kept acting like the two of them were together. Her father threatened many times to have her locked away, he didn't have the time to deal with her _fucked up head_.

The terrified look in Lorna's brown eyes reminded Nicky of her own sister. It pained her heart to see how much this woman was hurting - she knew she had to do something to help her. "You need a ride back to your place, kid? How far are you from town?" She hadn't been about to let her leave on her own, not after almost witnessing her suicide attempt.

Hearing the other offer to drive her home, she shook her head. She couldn't have her family seeing some stranger bringing her back because they would think she's even crazier than she already is [in their eyes]. "Oh no, I don't live far from here," which was true by car - but she didn't drive to the bridge, she walked and that takes much longer. She could use the long walk, though, to clear her mind and try to keep from thinking about all of what happened the day before. "Thank you for all your help, Nicky. Means a lot to me." She responds as she gets up from the table, ready to head home.

"Ah don't even bother thanking me, kid. What kind of person would I be if I just drove past while you jumped off that bridge, huh? Anyone, with a brain, would have stopped and helped you. But I'm glad it was me, because you seem like a very kind person and I really would like to help you - with whatever hardship you're going through," Nicky's voice stern with sincerity. She grabbed a piece of paper and quickly scribbled down her cell number, then handed it to her. "If you're ever having a bad day, call me. I'm always ready to listen - I have had my share of bad days, and would have loved to have someone to talk to about them. So when I say call me, I mean it." She pulled the shorter woman in for a friendly embrace, smiling kindly at her, "It'll all work out, kid. The pain is temporary; death is permanent, and will affect those who love you for the rest of their lives. When you get back to your house, please send me a text - to let me know that you didn't do anything stupid."

* * *

After an hour drive, Lilly finally arrived at the house she grew up. The house she was tortured in by her own father, and neglected by her mother. A shiver ran through as she slowly got out of her car, grabbed her bag from the back seat and walked up to the front door. Her hands shook while she lifted one to pull on the handle. When she stood in the entrance-way, getting a look around her, she realized that not much had changed. The house still seemed to be as elegant as ever, unlike the two middle-aged adults who resided within it. She closed the door behind her, then made her way up the long staircase to her old room.

Her room looks nothing like when she left, her bed had piles of packets of drugs on it - that made her gulp, because she knew that meant her father was using again. He would be so much more hostil towards her, they made him even meaner [if that was possible]. The door to her closet had been lying on the floor, and it looked like someone had a rage fit towards the thing. Shelves were broken, clothes thrown on the floor, shoes cut in half. At this point, she regretted her decision very deeply. Nicky was right - as usual - these people would never change. They would never take responsibility for anything that they've done and now Lilly had to live with the terrible decision she made. Whatever happened to her now, it was her own fault. At least that's what she kept telling herself.

"So you really are home, Lillian?" The door slams shut as Paolo Truscott glares at his daughter. He smirks at her, a dark glint in his eye, and walks closer to her. "Miss it here, don't you? Your mom tells me you need a little extra help paying for your college classes. That true? You think you're smart enough for college? Funny. If you really were smart, you wouldn't be here right now. Because mom lied to you - I ain't given you a damn penny. No, that was just her way of getting you to come home. Because _you_ owe _me_ , little girl." He roughly pushes the frightened woman to the bed, pinning her down with his hands.

Shaking and terrified, Lilly feels tears welling up in her eyes. She should have listened to her sister, she should have known what a an awful mistake this decision was. "Please - Please don't - don't touch me. You - you're my - my father... Fathers don't - don't do this to their - their dau-daughters." She begged, looking up into his eyes with fear. It reminded her of what he did to her when she was a child - from the time she could walk [at the age of two] Paolo would molest her. Every night he would come into her room and do the unimaginable. Things that fathers aren't supposed to do, he did. And it pleasured him - to see his little girl scream in pain.

Laughing, Paolo slapped her face. He couldn't stand the girl, acting like he didn't know how to be a father. He grabbed her face and held it roughly in his strong hands, looking deep into her terrified eyes, smirking at her. "You tellin' me how to be a father? You think I'm bad, do ya? Well what I've done to you is nothing compared to what I will do. You hate when I touch you, when I pin you down? Wait til' you see what I do tonight. When it's dark and no one's here but the two of us - You'll be sorry you were ever born." He threw her head down, chuckling, and went to the door, "Don't even think about asking Nicole to come get you, because she's not gonna want you anywhere near her. Not after what I do to you." He left the room, satisfied to know that he still had his daughter scared shit-less.

* * *

Nicky couldn't take the silence of her apartment anymore, and the worry she felt heavily for her sister. She loathed their mother for causing her to go back to that house - that house where love didn't exist, all they knew was hate and pain. Angrily, she threw the remote at the wall - which dented it - and groaned. She needed to figure out a way to get the younger woman to come back, because she couldn't let her get hurt all over again.

The ringing of her phone quickly brought her out of her angry thoughts. She hurriedly took it out of her pocket, relieved to see it was Lilly calling her, and clicked answer, "Lilly...Is everything all right? You want me to come get you?" Her voice full of worry and concern, she didn't want to think of what could possibly be happening to the young girl. Her sister's father was the most disgusting man Nicky ever met, and she would love to just shoot a gun at his head.

Lilly tried her hardest not to cry, not to sound weak and worry the older woman. She couldn't come back; she was dirty and violated - something that no one should be around. No one would ever want to be near here again; her innocence was taken from her, all that was left now was an empty shell of brokenness. "I - I am fine. Mother sa-says hello, and she - she misses you. I told her that you wouldn't want - want to-to hear that, but she insisted I tell you." She spoke, her voice close to breaking. "H-help m-me," she silently begs, trying not to be loud so that Paolo won't hear her.

"What is he doing to you, baby? Is he putting things in your head?" Nicky felt her own tears come pouring out of her eyes as she heard how small and terrified her sister sounded. "Shh, I'm gonna come get you Lil...don't you worry, I'll be there as quick as I can. Whatever room you're in lock it and don't open it until I get there. It's all gonna be okay, I promise. Just stay where you are until I come." She tried to sound as soothing as she could, but she was too worried about what had already been done to her that she couldn't stop her voice from being shaky. She quickly grabs her keys and runs down the stairs to her car. "I'm coming, Lil, I'm coming. Shh, everything's gonna be just fine."

* * *

She hated that she had to hang up the phone to drive, but she felt a little better knowing that Lilly had the door locked so he couldn't come near her. At least Nicky hoped so. She knew it was going to be hard trying to get her away from there on her own; Paolo would fight her for as long as he could. So the redhead made the decision to ask her coworker to come and help her. It wasn't her first choice to drag someone she hardly knew into her problems, but when it came to her younger sister she would do about anything for her.

Fortunately, she knew Miley had to work today and her shift would be ending in just a few minutes. So she hurriedly got out her car and nearly ran into the building, thankful to see the southern woman walking out of the restroom. She walked over to her as she waved her down, "Miley, I hate to bring this on you right after a long shift - but I need your help...I really need your help." She grabbed her arm, yanking her out of the building and over to her car. "You know my sister? The one you met a couple days ago? Well, I need you to come with me and help me get her. She went back to our mother's house - the fucking house where her dirty ass father spent years and years molesting her! And now he's fucking doing it again - he had our mother call her and make her believe that they had changed 'yada yada yada' all that bullshit and of course she believes it, poor kid's got such a big heart, but obviously it was all just a fucking lie. A lie to reel her in so that Paolo could fucking put his filthy ass disgusting hands on my baby sister! And God only knows what the sick fuck is doing to her now...He's gonna put up a fight, and I need your help. I know we're not really friends, but it would mean a lot if you could help me out?" She looked up at Miley's green eyes, desperately pleading for her to come. She couldn't do this on her own.

The chestnut-haired woman opened her mouth in shock. To hear all that come out of her coworker made her face fill with concern; she nodded though. "Oh, of course I'll help you. That's fucking sick to hear that... What kind of father does that to their own child - their _daughter_? What an evil, satanic man he is." She shook her head, disgusted to know that there were such nasty people in the world. Then both women got into the car and hurriedly sped off to help Lilly.

* * *

Lilly lay on the floor of her old bedroom, shaking with fear as her father rapes her. Feeling him touch her naked body, that he spent an hour ripping clothes off of, made more and more tears spill out from her eyes. His hands were rough and mean, digging so deep into her that nail indents were made as well as hand-prints. "Ple-please stop...it-it hurts - it hurts a lot," she says barely above a whisper, sobs escape her and make her body shake forcefully. She hates herself for actually believing things would be different - that this man could ever change or her mother would ever care.

He's smirking down at her, caressing her with his hand, "You should be used to this by now. You'll never be loved by another man, Lillian. You're filthy, and nothing but a whore. You're a whore, you hear that little girl? Ain't no man or well _anyone_ for that matter gonna love some shit like you. So enjoy this while you can because when I'm done with you, you'll be worthless." He roughly traces a finger down her body and is about to do something even worse when the door to the room falls to the ground.

The sight in front of her brings a boiling rage in Nicky's body. She balls her hands in fists, looking into Paolo's eyes darkly. She walks closer to them, pushes him off of Lilly and cradles her in her arms, covering her bare body in a sheet. "The fuck did you do to her, you asshole? What the hell were you doing on top of my baby sister? Were you fucking raping her?! You sick, filthy, piece of shit human! This sweet, beautiful woman - that you fucking violated the hell out of - is your _child_! Your child - you even know what that means? Do you know what a child is, huh Paolo? A child is someone you are supposed to love and protect from people like _you_. A child is not someone for you to use for your sickening sexual pleasure! God I fucking wish you'd just drop dead. You make me so fucking sick, and I'm tellin' you what - Lilly is my baby sister and she's coming back to our apartment, and if you ever, _ever_ , try to get in contact with her again - I will fucking kill you. I mean that, I ain't afraid of you. I will kill you with my bare fucking hands, Paolo." She growled at the man, rocking Lilly in her arms, and then she stared out at the woman in the doorway, "Can you call the police, Miley? Tell them to get here as quick as they can, they need to lock this damn animal up."

* * *

Once he was hauled away by the police and she had gently gotten Lilly dressed, she and Miley helped her into the car. Miley offered to drive so that Nicky could sit and comfort her distraught sister. The redhead gratefully accepted the offer, scooting beside her sister in the back seat and laying the blonde's head carefully onto her lap. She looked down at her, empathy in her eyes, and stroked her forehead, "You're safe now, baby. I've got you. I'm taking you back to _our_ home, and I will never let you go back here again. I shouldn't have this time, I'm so sorry, Lil. So, so sorry you've been hurt again but I promise you he will not be able to touch you anymore, kid. He'll be in prison for a very long time - maybe even forever. Either way, he will never be coming near you again, I'll kill him before that happens." She soothes, kissing her head tenderly.

* * *

Weeks go by as Nicky helps Lilly through the pain her father's caused her. Things seem to be getting easier for her though; she's done with classes for the summer and working takes her mind off everything. Nicky's pleased to see her almost back to her normal self, she's still as protective as ever with her, but she tries to give her her distance. She never lets men around her sister, won't let her go to bars or anything like that on her own, but she knows that's not something the other's interested in anyway.

Nicky has recently noticed how Lilly seems to hang around Miley more, ever since she had come to help get her away from that sick man known as her father, those two have become good friends. That makes the redhead smile, because she feels the two are good for each other - Miley kind of reminds her of herself, tough but protective and that's exactly what her sister needs in a friend. She's happy to see them going out and doing things together - to the movies, the mall, or hanging out at Miley's place.

She finds herself spending more and more time talking to Lorna. After finding her at her lowest point, Nicky feels that she needs to be there through it all - not just needs, but _wants_ to. There's something about Lorna that just makes her want to do anything she can to help her and protect her. She's a gentle woman, who shouldn't even be having the thoughts she has. There is so many things that she still has yet to learn about this woman, but she has to gain her trust first. She knows that from experience.

* * *

Her phone rings and a smile forms as she sees who it is. "Hey, Lorna. How ya doin', kid? Haven't heard from you in a while," she speaks, glad that the woman decided to call her. She hoped everything was okay with her, she realized how much like a roller coaster Lorna's mind was. One day, they'd be chatting away about whatever was on their minds and the next Lorna would be sobbing into her ears, going on and on about Christopher. Nicky rolled her eyes every time she mentioned his name - she grew to loathe him after the unimaginable pain he had caused this sweet woman. The pain that almost took her life.

"They're getting-getting married in a - in a month!" The Italian woman shrieked, her Brooklyn accent even more pronounced. Nicky face-palmed herself as she listened to her sniffling cries. "This can't be happening...This isn't real! Christopher is my fiance, he's supposed to marry me! I don't - I don't understand... Why does he want to marry a whore like Angela?! What does she have that I don't?"

Hearing this made the redhead angry. She hated to hear how upset Lorna was over a stupid guy - a stupid guy who left such a beautiful woman for some moron. "Stop it, stop it! That piece of shit doesn't deserve you, Lorna! He fucking hurt you - he made you feel so fucking bad that I had to find you on the edge of a damn bridge about to fucking end your life! Why the hell would you settle for a man like that?! He's nothing but a dick on legs. And this Angela person, she's nothing but a bitch. You need to stop letting them get to you; they're not worth it, kid - they really aren't. You know, how about you come over here for the afternoon? You need to get your mind off this before you do something stupid." She suggested, not wanting Lorna to let her mind wander aimlessly.

* * *

Within a half hour, there was a persistent knocking on the apartment door. Nicky jumped up from the couch and quickly went to open it, compassion filling her eyes when she seen how upset her friend was. "Come here, kid - it's gonna be okay. _Fuck_ Christopher and Angela, they're nothing but trouble," she soothed, opening her arms and pulling her in for a tight embrace. She felt her heart break when sobs shook the smaller woman's body. Gently, she runs a hand down her back in effort to help comfort her.

Lorna shook her head, crying so hard she thought she was going to die - she wished she would die - the pain felt unbearable. Knowing that Christopher and Angela has a set date for the wedding, it made her realize that this was real. This wasn't just a terrible nightmare. And realizing that only made the pain worse, made her want to die even more. "No - No! It ain't gonna be okay, Nicky. My soulmate is fucking marrying a different woman! I can't - I can't do this anymore... You should have fucking walked away when you saw me on the bridge - _you should have walked away and let me fucking jump_ \- let me end this misery because I _cannot_ do this anymore!" She squirmed her way out of Nicky's arms and grabbed a knife from the kitchen, holding it with shaky hands as she cry.

"Oh hell no, Lorna," Nicky yells, rushing to her and roughly grabbing the knife from her hands, throwing it into the sink. "No way in fucking hell are you killing yourself. This fucking douche-bag is not worth your life! And if you even think that, something's seriously wrong with you, kid." She firmly speaks, wrapping her arms protectively around the shaking and sobbing woman. She kisses the top of her head softly, looking into her eyes compassionately, "You need to fucking erase Christopher from your mind, Lorna. You need to be done with him. You can't keep doing this to yourself; you can only handle so much pain at one time and no one wants to see you do anything you'll regret. I know it hurts you to see Christopher - the man you thought you'd spend forever with - with another woman, but you have to let it go. You need to move on. Nothing is going to get better if you don't let things go. You don't want to hear this, I know - I know, kid, believe me I fucking _know_. But you need to hear this and it's obvious your family isn't doing a thing to help you out, so unfortunately you have to hear it from me - a person you've only known for what, a month?" She hates the refusal and hurt that she sees in Lorna's gentle eyes, but she knows someone has to tell this poor woman the truth. "I'm sorry, Lorna - Sorry that you're hurting and feeling like total shit...But I promise you that once you start to forget about this Christopher guy, you will feel better. And I promise you that I will help you - I'll take care of you, kid, since it's apparent your family isn't."


	4. Chapter 4

Lorna finds herself spending more and more time with Nicky. After all the redhead _did_ save her life, so it kind of made sense that the two were becoming such close friends. Usually when they hung out, it would either be at Nicky's place or out somewhere - she refused to have her come to her house. Her family wasn't the most functional, and she didn't want them to accidentally mention something about her mental condition. That was something she chose not to discuss with people outside of family, and besides half the time she really did believe the stories she made up in her head.

Any time the petite Italian woman was having a bad day - thinking of Christopher and how she longed for him - she would usually send Nicky a text, like she promised she would, and they would talk for hours on the phone. But not tonight, she just wanted some time to think - and that was almost always a terrible decision. She didn't want to have to rely on her new friend every time she felt down in the dumps, especially since she knew the woman's younger sister had some problems of her own.

There was something hitting her door as she sat at her desk, and before she could get up to open it, it swung open with a small child standing there. Lorna went over to the child - Franny's child - and looked down at him with a smile. She always did adore children; she felt as though they understood her more than adults did sometimes. "Do you need something, Julian?" She asked, giving him a gentle pat on the head - which consisted of dark brown, almost black, thick curls of hair.

"Can - Can I stay in hewe with you until mommy comes home, auntie Lona?" He asks, almost desperate for her to say yes. [He also has trouble pronouncing R's properly, so he calls her Lona to make it easier - he's only just turned three]. There's a tiny bit of fear within his brown eyes as he tugs on Lorna's leg, trying to get her to pick him up.

Instantly, Lorna scoops the toddler into her arms and wonders what's going on to make him so scared. She stroked his hair gently, looking into his eyes with concern. "Of course you can, little guy," she says, "You don't wanna watch TV with grandpa and uncle Mikey today?" She carefully questions, hoping he will tell her what might be the cause for the fear that she can easily see in his usually happy and bubbly eyes.

Julian shakes his head so fast that it makes Lorna feel dizzy. He wraps his tiny arms around her neck, gripping it tightly, and looking at her - his eyes filled with tears. His grip on her is so tight, that she thinks he may never let go. She holds him tighter - hating to seem him so upset. "I don't - I don't like - like pappy," he sniffles, squeezing her tighter, "Pappy is saying mean things about you, auntie Lona... and he's yelling, and thwowing things. He scawes me!"

Rocking him softly in her arms, Lorna feels her heart breaking. Not only is her mental health causing problems for her father and siblings, but now it's also affecting her nephew - the nephew she loves with all her heart and would walk on glass for. She presses a kiss to his head, and holds him tight in her arms. "Don't worry about pappy, buddy. He's not gonna do anything to you, I promise. He just gets mad sometimes - we all do - what he says doesn't mean anything. Everything's okay," she soothes him, patting his back comfortingly. She knows what she said isn't technically true, but it's what the little boy needs to hear.

* * *

After a long day working, Miley happily walks up the stairs to her apartment - ready to just relax and enjoy her weekend off. Though when she opens the door and sees her older brother sitting on the couch, his blue eyes focused intently on the screen in front of him, her smile grows even bigger. As much as she hates to admit it, she missed having her older brother around. "Jackson, what are you doing here? How did you even know where I live?" She wondered, throwing her stuff on the table and then walking over to the couch to sit beside him.

He turned his face from the television to stare at his sister, and smirked playfully, "Eh, I have my ways." He's not one for hugging, but it's been so long since they last seen each other that he feels he has to. So he gets up from where he's sitting and pulls her in for a friendly embrace. "So what's it like? Living down here in the damn city? New York City, for crying out loud - I never imagined you to move to such a crazy place."

Miley enjoyed the embrace, the reminder that she still had a family - even if they were miles apart. The Stewart's would always be her family, that's what defined her. Not a stupid piece of paper that she just happened to come by one day, in her mother's bedroom. "It's not Tennessee, that's for damn sure. I miss it so much...but I can't go back. How's daddy? Is he doing well?" She looked up at him, desperate for an answer. No one could ever take Robbie Stewart's place as her father.

"Ask him yourself, Miles," Jackson smirked, as their father came into the room. "He woulda killed me if I came to see you without him!"

When the chestnut haired woman saw her dad standing in kitchen, she couldn't help but let happy tears fall from her eyes. She ran to him and engulfed him in a tight, bone-crushing, hug. "Oh, daddy, I've missed you so much!" She whispered, holding onto him while peering up into his eyes, "You will always be my dad. I don't care what that paternity test says, you are my dad! You're the one who's raised me and has been here for me through everything. I love you so much!" She doesn't even realize that her body is shaking and she's sobbing her eyes out as her father holds her close.

Robbie wraps his arms protectively around his daughter's shoulders, so happy to finally see her again. He rubs her back, trying to calm her down - he hates to see his little girl cry. "You will always be my little girl, bud. I love you too, darlin' and I've missed you like crazy - We all have, including your momma. She misses you so much, Mile and she wants you to know that she will always be here for you. I know you're still mad at her about this, but she's still your momma - you can't ignore her forever, bud." He says gently, kissing the top of her head as he strokes her hair. "So have you found him yet - your biological father?"

"Joe Morello is his name, and I can't stand him," tears stream down her cheeks as she holds onto the father she's known her entire life with force. "He's nothing like you - not even close. I'm glad momma never said anything, I'd've hated having to grow up with him as my father. Every time I go over, all I hear is his constant yelling. He has three other kids, too, by the way. Which means I've got other siblings - Franny, Mikey, and Lorna - they're all older than me and they all hate me. I mean I can't blame them for that, some complete stranger shows up one day and says 'Oh hey, I'm your sister - how ya'll doin'?'. I'd be pissed too if I were in their shoes. Maybe if I had mentioned that when I first came here, instead of waiting until six months ago, they wouldn't hate me as much but still. I don't know, they're just - they're not like us, it's different. I feel weird; but aside from that, I kind of settled into my life here. I have a job, a couple of good friends. I own my own apartment - that's nice. It could be worse!"

* * *

Mr. Morello sat on his favorite spot on the couch, watching one of his many favorite TV shows, when the doorbell went off. He rolled his eyes, throwing the remote to the floor, and got up to see who decided to stop by. Angrily, he walked over to the door and opened it, groaning when he saw it was his [out of wedlock] daughter and presumably the man who took his place as her father. "Oh great, what brings you here this afternoon? Ruining my afternoon of watching the shows I've spent all week recording!" His voice filled with annoyance as he made room for them to come in - even though he wished they would turn back and leave.

Robbie looked at the man, then his eyes wandered about the room, noticing how untidy it was. He could understand why Miley wasn't too fond of him. "Well I thought I'd come meet the man who happens to be the father of my little girl. Is that a problem, Mr. Morello?" He asked, his voice not too friendly. It angered him to know that his wife had cheated on him with such a person. And he didn't even find until years after - years that he spent raising some stranger's daughter. Yet, he would never take back those years; he would always consider Miley _his_ daughter.

"Ah, so you're the one who's raised this woman?" Joe's expression is of a careless nature as he goes to grab a beer from the fridge, then sits back in his seat. "Well kudos to you - she turned out normal! Maybe you should have raised my other daughters' too cause' they sure are fucked up. You'll have to meet em', hold on a sec," He goes down to the beginning of the hallway and yells, "Hey, Franny and Lorna, get out here now! You gotta come out here and meet someone!" The Italian man chuckles, walking back into the living room and sitting down on the recliner.

Miley feels rage boil as she gives a dark glare towards him, "Don't mock my father! He's spent the past fucking twenty-four years raising a kid that wasn't even his! He didn't even know that I wasn't his real daughter - _I_ didn't even know that! So stop being so hostil towards us. The only one to blame here is my momma; she's the one who kept this a secret. And believe me, I'm still fucking angry with her - I've spent these past three years hating her for this, but I don't think I do anymore because I've realized what a terrible person you are. You're mean, and you yell - every time I come here, all you do is fucking yell! I'm grateful to my momma for giving me Robbie as a father, because he is a better person than you will ever be! Fathers are supposed to love their children - to protect and take care of them. You don't seem to do that. You have a daughter with a very serious mental condition and all you fucking do is scream at her - telling her that she's nothing but a fucked up crazy person! What the hell kind of father does that? You're supposed to love her no matter what because she _is_ your _daughter_! If I had to grow up, living with you, I wouldn't have been able to do it. You're not and never will be my father, I don't care what a damn paternity test says - the man standing beside me, that's my father - my _dad_! The man who will always love and take care of me. He's the one who was there when I was born, not you...He was there when I fell off my bike the first time, not you. That's what a real father is. I'm done here, I can't stand you, Mr. Morello; you make me sick." She shakes her head, glaring at him, and then runs out the door - needing to get as far away from that house as possible.

Shocked at what his daughter said, Robbie looks at the other man with his own anger. He can't believe that a father could be so horrible to their own children. "Well, I'm glad I've had the priveledge of raising Miley. She's my little girl, and always will be. You don't deserve to have her as your own - or any of the ones that you _do_ have. Do you know what love is? Love is when you would give your own life to save your child's. I would throw myself in front of a bullet in a heart-beat for Miley and my son, Jackson. What about you? Would you do that for your three kids?"

Lorna and Franny stood silently in the room, watching the heated conversation closely, and eager to hear their father's answer. The things they'd heard come from Miley made them wonder if she was right - that maybe their father wasn't such a good father afterall. They also regretted ever making her feel that she wasn't part of the family; they didn't know that she only knew about this for a few years.

"Ain't nobody gonna be shootin' my family, so your question is irrelevent. And good, you can keep her - I never wanted anything to do with this. She's the one who came and found me, fucking nutcase. Almost as crazy as Lorna over here." He threw his hands in the air, smirking all the while. All he cared about was getting back into his shows the minute that man leaves.

Hearing that, Lorna balls her hands up in fists and glares at him. She shakes her head and walks out the door, needing to get some air. She sees Miley sitting in her car, holding a phone to her ear, and crying her eyes out to whoever was on the other line. She walks closer, but not too much that the other can see her, and can hear bits of what's being said.

"So sorry, momma... I'm so sorry for hating you and ignoring you for the past few years; I hate it here - I wanna come home so bad, but I-I don't think I can. I have another family here, well they all hate me and probably wish they never met me, but I feel like there's something pulling me to stay here. ... Yeah, I have a job, that's a reason I can't leave. And I love my job, I've made some friends there. ... No momma, they're not drug dealers or murderers! I mean I know I live in New York, but I highly doubt it's the worst place to live. ... Momma? Next time Jackson and daddy come to visit, will you come too? I really miss you and you can see what my apartment looks like. ... Okay, I love you too, so much! Bye momma - oh and could you make sure to give Blue Jean's a treat tonight? Jackson usually does that, but obviously he's not there right now. ... Thanks momma, I'll call you tomorrow!"

Lorna can't help but feel terrible for making the young woman loathe living here. She seemed to be an innocent and kind person, so it made no sense for she to hate her anymore. "Miley?" She softly calls out, walking over to the car and looking at her apologetically, "Can we talk for a minute?" She hates herself for being so cold towards the woman - her sister.

Miley puts her phone in her pocket and turns to where the voice came from, surprised to see Lorna standing beside her car. She slowly nods, getting out and looking up into the other's sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry - for yelling and bashing your father, especially after I got mad at him for doing the same thing to mine. I just - I don't like him. Maybe it's different for you because you've lived with him all your life, but for me, I would never be able to survive in such a family." She spoke truthfully; she was beyond grateful for the household that she did grow up in.

The shorter woman shook her head, staring up at her sadly, "You don't gotta be sorry," she said while realizing how much of a mistake she made thinking that the person in front of her could ever be bad. "I'm the one who needs to apologize, I've been rude to you for no good reason and I feel terrible for that. Franny does too. We didn't know the whole story so we just acted like it was your fault - to make it easier - and that was wrong. You are a very kind person, I have no reason to hate you. Especially because you're the only one who's ever called my dad out on his hatred towards my _'fucked up head'_. So yeah, I'm sorry and maybe we can start over. I've never had a younger sister, so I don't know what I'm doing."

* * *

After work, Lorna decided to go for a walk around town. She just needed time to think - she had to get from her house for a while. Besides, she enjoyed the city and being surrounded by nature; it always made her feel at peace. She started down the street, taking in the fresh smell of spring. Spring was one of her favorite seasons - she loved watching the many beautiful flowers bloom and the sound of birds' singing all day long. It seemed to calm her very busy mind.

As she passed the many shops, the smell of coffee hit her nose which made her crave a cup. Lorna went into one of the many coffee shops that made up the city and ordered her favorite - a caramel macchiato. The scent alone made her body fill with warmth; she took the hot cup and sipped it happily. Then she left and continued on her walk. The sun was shinning brightly in the sky, heating up the usually chilly city. She smiled; she hadn't felt this great in a long time.

"Well, well, well - Who do we have here?" An angry voice questioned, wiping the smile right off of Lorna's face. "Little Morello the stalker, out drinking a coffee? Hmph. I don't understand why Christopher hasn't called the police on you yet - You should be in fucking prison where you belong. I heard you tried to kill my soon-to-be sister-in-law, you really are fucking crazy! If I were them, I'da had you arrested already. You're nothing but a damn psycho, you don't deserve to enjoy your life! Well I'll tell you what, you may not be punished here in today's society but you will be when you go to hell. Because that's where people like you belong, in hell to burn for eternity!" The man, Christopher's older brother, growled at her. He swung his fist roughly into her face, staring madly into her frightened eyes, and then took the coffee she held, throwing it so it spilled over her already shaking body. Satisfied, he quickly left.

Trembling, Lorna held her hand over her face to try to stop the throbbing pain she felt. She tried desperately to stop herself from crying, but the words he said to her hurt her deeply and made her realize that he was right - she didn't deserve to enjoy her life, she didn't deserve to be in the real world. She should be locked away for the rest of her life so she couldn't cause pain to anyone else. Her body burned terribly from the hot coffee that had been drenched all over her. Tears ran down her cheeks as she collapse to the ground, hating how messed up her mind was and that no matter what, she would probably never be loved by anyone again.

The petite brunette was too caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed someone had witnessed the entire incident or had crouched down beside her, scooping her off the ground and into their arms. When she did, she looked up and realized that that someone happened to be Nicky - who was staring at her with concern-filled eyes. "H-how-how much did-did you hear?" Lorna anxiously asked, her voice shaky and tiny. She hoped that she didn't hear all of it, she hadn't the strength to tell her how messed up she truly was.

Nicky held her tight, stroking her hair softly, "I heard and saw everything, kid." Her voice gentle, but there was a twinge of anger as well. "Are you okay? What he did to you - that was fucking downright evil. He could of fucking gave you third degree burns from spilling that damn coffee on you! Does it hurt?" She looks into her eyes, worried for her as she examines where he punched her and then stands up, still holding her, bringing her to her car. "I'm bringing you back to my place, and having you take a cold shower - to make sure that your skin doesn't burn. And then we need to talk, you need to tell me what's going on, okay? In order for me to help you, I need to know the truth - No matter what is, I won't judge or hate you for it. But I need you to tell me everything."

* * *

Once Lorna was showered and dressed in a pair of Nicky's loose-fitting pajamas, the two sat down at the dining room table. She kept her eyes down, too scared to look up at the woman across from her. She couldn't bare to stare at her and see her reaction to who she really was - a compulsive liar who actually believed in her own lies or rather her own fantasies. "You're gonna hate me, Nicky," she whispers, almost inaudible. Tears are in her eyes as she traces her finger on the wooden pattern of the table.

"I'm not gonna hate you, kid, I promise," Nicky looks at her sadly, reaching her hand over to touch the other's tenderly, "Look at me, Lorna. Whatever you tell me, it will _not_ make me hate you. I mean that, I really do. I just want to help you, and obviously there's something more serious going on than you're just being upset over this other fiancee of Christopher's. So you _need_ to _talk_ to me, kid." She speaks firmly, stroking her thumb over Lorna's knuckles to calm her enough so that she'll open up to her.

The brunette gulps, timidly lifting her head to peer into the soft eyes that patiently wait for her to speak. She opens her mouth but can't get anything out. Tears rapidly fall down her cheeks as she shakes her head, "I-I c-can't." The only words she can form that don't make her head spin. Her hands tremble, her legs shake underneath the table as she tries to stop her mind from running a mile a minute. "I-I-I have-have a very, v-very fucked up head...That's w-what dad always tells me - He don't - don't got time for my stupid fucked up head," her voice breaks into sobs.

Hearing the obvious pain in Lorna's words, it breaks Nicky's heart. What kind of father berates their own child like that? She gets up and walks over to her, pulling her into a protective embrace, "No, that's not true - Your head is not fucked up, not even close! Don't listen to your fucking dad, the hell does he know? I know what fucked up is, and you - you are not even close, Lorna." She runs her hand comfortingly through her hair, hugging her close.

She wished that were true - that she wasn't a fucked up crazy person - but it was and there wasn't much she could do to fix that. Lorna shut her eyes, squeezing them tight, and shook her head. No one would ever be able to fix her, there's no way to fix crazy - not in her world anyway. "Oh no, Nicky, I am fucked up - very fucked up," she choked out, "I'm crazy - really fucking crazy! The things you heard that man say about me - that I'm a psycho, a stalker - it's all true... I - I - Christopher, he - and I, we were never engaged. I made that up, after he told me that - that he didn't like me...He said he would never go on another date with me again - So I pretended that never happened because I - I can't-can't handle rejection - or a reality without him and I together. I - I s-stalked him because I thought maybe he would change his mind, maybe this was all just a nightmare. I've always made things up in my head, since I was a child, and I always believe that it's real. I'm - I'm a fucking mental case, I should be locked up until I die!"

The redhead is shocked at what she hears, but keeps it inside, knowing that the last thing her friend needs is to feel like she can't talk to her about this. She shakes her head, holding her tighter and looking into her eyes, "No, no - You are not fucked up! You're a gentle, sweet, and beautiful woman - You're not anything even remotely fucked up, quit saying that. I mean it's not exactly normal to make up fantasies and actually believe in them, but that does not mean that you should be locked up! You just need help, and love. All you need is to be loved, and it's fucking obvious your family doesn't seem to be doing either of those things. If they knew you've been having trouble with getting a grip on reality, they should have been fucking getting you help! They shouldn't be fucking mocking you and making you feel worse about yourself." She's angry that the people who should be looking after this poor woman are the one's who seem to be making everything even harder for her. "You need to get away from that house for a while, kid. They're not doing you any good, they're just hurting you by denying you the help that you so clearly need. Stalking is serious, Lorna, and I know it's due to how unstable you are mentally, but others won't see it that way. It's a miracle that Christopher hasn't had you arrested for that - not to say that I want you to get arrested, because I sure as hell don't - it's just stalking someone is a serious crime, you could go away a long time for that. And that's your families fault for not taking care of you the way that they should! That's why I think you should stay with me, at least for now. I want to help you, and make sure you don't do anything stupid again. I would really fucking hate to see you end up in prison - you're too nice to end up in a place like that. At least this way, I can keep an eye on you and make sure you don't go looking for Christopher." She speaks truthfully, meaning everything that she says. Someone needs to take care of this frail woman, and Nicky feels that someone should be her.

"You - you really don't hate me?" Lorna's surprised to hear her offer for she to stay with her, especially after the terrible thing she just confessed. "I don't - I don't think I should stay with you... I mean you've got your sister to take care of - I don't want to burden you with my stupid problems. Besides maybe prison is exactly what I need - isn't that where the mentally unstable belong anyway? At least that way no one would have to worry about me." She sniffles, feeling ashamed of herself. That's all she'll ever be is a burden to society with her mental condition.

Nicky slams a hand on the table in anger, peering down at the small woman sternly. "I will never hate you, kid. And you will not be a burden by staying here with me - I _want_ you to stay here so that I can to take care of you, which I also _want_ to do, since no one else seems to fucking give a shit about you!" She cups Lorna's face in her hands, loathing to see the shame in her eyes. She strokes her chin tenderly, "No, prison is not where you belong. Believe me, I had to spend a few months in prison - several years ago - and I know you wouldn't be able to survive in there. You are too sweet; you would get taken advantage of in there, kid. Most of the people I met in there did some really bad things - a lot worse than stalking. Just the thought of you being in prison makes me angry, because you would fucking get eaten alive in there. And I don't want that for you - I don't want to see you get taken advantage of due to the pureness of your heart. You're not a fucking criminal, Lorna! You are a warm and gentle person, who needs a little help. And I swear to you that I will get you that help. I refuse to let you do anything else that would get yourself in trouble. But in order for me to help you, you need to give me your phone so I can erase Christopher's number and any other way that you might use to contact him. You have to let go of this fantasy, you really do. I know it's going to be hard for you, but that's the only way that you can start to get better."


	5. Chapter 5

Lilly woke up, a smile on her face, as she happily got ready for work. She had plans with Miley after her shift, and couldn't wait. The two of them have become such close friends in such a short time; it seemed as though they couldn't stay from each other, almost every day - for the past couple of weeks - the two made plans to hang out. It kept her from feeling down - she no longer had to worry about her father's attempts at contacting her and she always had something to look forward to.

Once dressed in her work uniform - consisting of a white collard shirt and a pair of cream khakis - she went in the kitchen to feel her mug with fresh coffee. She was so happy and busy thinking about the day's events that when she turned to head out, she finally noticed her older sister sitting on the living room couch beside Lorna. She looked at them, confused to see her coworker in the apartment again but that was soon wiped away as she gave a friendly smile to them, "Are you off today, Lorna?"

The two older women were a bit startled when they heard Lilly's voice - they were so busy talking that they hadn't even realized her presence. Lorna looked over at her and nodded with a kind smile, "I am. You'll have to let me know if anything interesting happens at work!" She really loved her job and the responsibility that came along with it, but she also enjoyed getting time off once in a while.

"I will - something always goes on there," the blonde replied while grabbing her things and heading to the door. Before walking out, Lilly peered over at her sister. She knew the woman would kill her if she forgot to mention she'd be home later than usual. "I won't be home right after work, Nicky; Miley and I are hanging out around town. Thought you should know so you don't go berserk when I don't show up at my usual time!" Ever since the incident with her father, Nicky always had to know where her sister was - she didn't want her doing anything regretful.

The redhead gave her a stern look but nodded her head approvingly. "Okay, Lil. Have fun - but not too much fun. And make sure you don't stay out too late. Tell her I said hi and I'll see her at work tomorrow night!" She got up to embrace her younger sister, giving her a motherly kiss on the head and watched as she happily left their apartment. She knew she could be overly protective over Lilly sometimes, but that was all the family she had - she couldn't lose her.

* * *

When Lilly's shift finally ended, after what felt like an eternity, she quickly left the building and got into her car. She and Miley had planned on meeting up at the bar she worked at. Hanging out at a bar was definitely not her first choice, but she figured what better time to try new things than now. It's time she leave the past, _well_ , in the past. So she happily drove the five minutes it took to get there and parked her car on the side of the street - where all the other people parked.

Getting out of her car, the blonde slowly walked across the road and into the bar. She felt a tad bit nervous as she wasn't used to going to such a place - at least not without her older sister's being there - but she perceived that as a positive thing. She needed to start doing things on her own, even if it put her out of her comfort zone.

As soon as Miley had seen her friend come in, she smiled brightly and motioned for her to come over. She finished her shift a few minutes ago and then sat down at one of the tables to wait for Lilly. Having a friend outside of work had been a great joy for the chestnut-haired woman. She barely had a social life before - her day's had consisted of go to work, go home; repeat.

"Hi," Lilly's squeaky voice greeted, a bubbly smile on her face. She sat down across from the other and felt all her nerves instantly die down. Talking to Miley was one of the easiest things in the world - they never ran out of topics. Over the past couple of weeks that they had hung out, she learned so much about the other and that really surprised her - she never grew such a close friendship with anyone, never really had a best friend before. The thought alone gave her a pleasant feeling.

Miley smiled back, "Hi. How was work?" She grew to like Lilly more and more each day. Even though the woman's gone through a lot of horrific things, she still had such a positive outlook on life. Who wouldn't want to be friends with someone like that? All the friends she had back home - they weren't sincere people, not like the blonde woman sitting across from her was. Most of them only chose to befriend her because of her father - a country singer up until the early 2000s. Lilly, on the other hand, actually seemed to _want_ to be her friend and that really meant a lot to her.

* * *

The two spent the next couple of hours talking, drinking, and just flat-out enjoying each other's company. They decided to go back to Miley's apartment to watch a movie - and spend more time talking. Talking was something that they both could do for hours; it was nice just to get to know each other.

After Miley got the movie started, she sat down on the couch beside Lilly. She smiled at her as she grabbed a handful of popcorn, in the bowl that sit between them. "So what're ya going to school for? Nicky was telling me how you're always typing away on your laptop," she wondered, while taking a bit of the popcorn - she savored the creamy, buttery taste of it. Another reason she had so suddenly chose to move to New York was because they had such great choices of Universities, especially for music.

Lilly took some popcorn for herself, enjoying it's buttery flavor. She looked over the dark haired woman and smiled, "I'm going for education; I've always thought about becoming a teacher. What about you - I mean are you taking any college courses?" The one thing she hadn't known about Miley was what her future plans were - what kind of job did she herself in, things like that.

"Teaching? That's a good profession!" Miley grinned, "I am, actually. I've been taking a couple courses every semester; I want to do something with music - maybe I'll be a music teacher or something. I don't know exactly what I want to do yet, but I've just always loved music - it's my passion." And it was - ever since she was a little girl, she had an unimaginable amount of love for it. When her dad would perform concerts - around the time she was five or six - she would always find herself right there with him, singing her heart out.

Nodding, the blonde wasn't too surprised to hear that. She had a sense from the moment she met the woman that she was a musically-inclined individual. She didn't know why exactly she had that sense, but she did and she turned out to be right. "You do look like a music kind of person," she smiled, gaining a laugh, "Have you ever thought of becoming a singer one day?"

That question was something that always ran through Miley's mind. She loved to sing, she really did, but the thought of doing that as a life-long career - as her father had done - made her push it away. "Nah, my daddy used to be a country singer and it seemed to stress him out a lot. I mean, he loved what he did, but he didn't love what all came with it. And I wouldn't either, so I rather just stick to something more businesslike. I could see myself as a high school music teacher."

* * *

Nicky lay on her bed, music blaring through her ears, while she read a book. Reading wasn't something she did often, but it felt nice to not have anything running through her mind aside from the story that her eyes concentrated heavily on. She was pleased to see her sister going out with her friend, and happy that she had a friend of her own - even though her friend had the mind of a loopy roller coaster. She was still grateful to have met her and for her to agree to staying with her - she couldn't let her keep living with her family, since it seemed that they weren't even helping her. That angered her; what kind of family just watches their daughter go crazy and not do anything to stop it?

Yelling interrupted the redhead, she quickly closed the book, turned off the music, and went to see what the problem was. Lorna paced the living room, holding her phone to her ear, while yelling at whoever was on the other end. "Why should I fucking come home? You don't even care about what's going on in my head! All you do is tell me how fucked up I am and how you wish it was _me_ who _died_ instead of mom! And then you treat Miley - your other daughter - like shit too! I - I can't fucking handle it anymore, dad!" She feels tears in her eyes, but refuses to let them fall; she's too angry. "No! I will not tell you where I am! You're not making me change my mind. And even if I were to come home - which I am _not_ \- it would only be to see my nephew. Speaking of which - you know you scared him the other night?! You were so busy yelling and screaming about your fucked up daughter that you neglected to realize your own grandson standing right there - listening to every word. You can hate me all you want, dad, I don't fuckin' care anymore, but I swear to God if you ever hurt that little boy - so help me God I will stab you! I will stab you until you are laying on the floor in a pool of your own fucking blood!" Her voice growing louder, her hands shaking tremendously, she hasn't felt this angry in a long while.

The emotion that Nicky hears in the other's voice makes her heart ache for her. She walks over to her, looking into her eyes empathetically, and places a comforting hand onto her shoulder in the hopes of calming her down. "Hang up, kid - you're getting yourself worked up. You need to calm down," she whispers gently, patting her shoulder. She hates to see how upset Lorna's father is making her, and that makes her add him to her shit-list.

"I'm - I'm fucking done with you," she hisses at the phone, before ending the call and then throwing it onto the couch. She wanted to throw it at something harder - to break it - but she couldn't, not when it wasn't her place. Nicky had been kind enough to let her stay there, there was no way she would do anything to damage her property. Sighing deeply, Lorna peers up at the taller woman apologetically, "Sorry you had to hear that...I didn't mean to be so loud. I'm sorry!"

Nicky shakes her head as she pulls her into a comforting embrace. She runs her hand gently through the other's dark waves of hair, "Hey, don't be! Your father deserved that; he's a fucking an asshole for making you feel so upset. He really fucking told you that he wishes you had died?! Are you fucking kidding me? I kinda wish you did tell him where you were at - so he could come here and _I_ could beat some fucking sense in to him! He doesn't deserve to be a father to you; you are _way_ too sweet to be his daughter." She grits her teeth in a rage, but holds it in as she tries to comfort her friend. She can't fathom how a father could wish death on their own child - a child they helped to create - a child as sweet and kind as Lorna. Just the thought of it made her sick. She longed for the day that she'd meet him, so she could tell him right to his face what a horrible, disrespectful, piece of shit he really is.

Lorna is astonished at how the other woman - who she's only been friends with for some weeks now - doesn't even hesitate to defend her actions towards her father. It warms her heart to know that there's someone who actually cares about her well-being. Someone who won't just sit back and watch her go nuts. She peers up at the redhead, a thankful smile on her face and wraps her in a hug. "Thank you - no on ever stands up for me like that when it comes to my father. And I usually don't scream back at him...but the fact that he would say stuff like that in front of his own grandson - who's barely three years old - it makes me so mad!"

The redhead is fuming - not directly at Lorna, but at the fact that she would let her own father talk to her like in such a way and not put up a fight. "Don't thank me, kid. You shouldn't be treated like that, especially not by your own parent! And you usually let him say whatever he wants about you? Why?! Why are you okay with that?" She couldn't believe it - how someone would just sit back and let another human trash-talk them. That made her blood boil; because if she were in the other's shoes she would be putting up a fight. She doesn't take crap from anyone.

Shrugging, Lorna looks down at the ground. Being assertive was not one of her strong suites. When she was in school, people could walk all over her and she wouldn't even notice - she _would_ let them. "I - He doesn't mean what he says...He just says things when he's angry, which is my fault for being so fuzzy-minded," she rambles, wanting to move past the phone call. She didn't want to dwell on it anymore.

"No, _don't_ make excuses for him," Nicky lets out a frustrated groan, while lifting Lorna's face so that they're looking into each other's eyes, "Don't you fucking dare blame yourself for his anger! He's the father, he should fucking take some damn responsibility and get you the help you need! But no, all he does is bash and berate you and you just sit there and take it! God - I swear I'd love to just fucking take my fist and smash it into his face! He's nothin' but a piece of shit!"

Before Lorna can say anything, the door to the apartment opens and in comes Lilly, a glowing smile on her face. The smile soon disappears when she hears the intense arguing going on, she looks over at them and wonders what could possibly be going on. "Uh, is everything okay you two?" She asks, realizing that her coworker is still there and it seems that there's something major going on. Then she remembers when Miley told her about Lorna's 'fuzzy mind' - how the Christopher guy she keeps going on about isn't real or something close to that.

Nicky closes her eyes, inwardly angry with herself for her sister having to walk in on that, but slowly nods her head. "It's all good here, Lil," she lies, but doesn't want her sister to worry about it, "How was your afternoon with Miley? What'd you guys do?" She smiles at the younger woman, knowing that both she and Lorna would appreciate the change of subject. And besides, she wanted to hear about Lilly's day. Things seemed to have really taken a positive turn for her.

Lilly looks from both women, who now have smiles on their faces, she's not buying it. But she doesn't want to stick her nose in other people's business, so she smiles as well. "It was great, we talked for hours at the bar then we went back to her place to watch a movie. But we were too busy talking to understand what the movie was even about. She's so easy to talk to, and fun to be around as well! I've learned so much about her - she's taking college classes too, she plans on becoming a music teacher some day! I guess her father - well uh the one she grew up with - he used to be some big time country singer and that's why she loves music so much." There's a look in her eyes, one that Nicky can't exactly put a word to it, but she can tell just by how much Lilly's talking that she really likes this woman.

"Sounds like you two are getting along great," Nicky says, smiling at her younger sister. "I'm so glad that you have a friend that you can do things with, you deserve that." She pulls Lilly in for a hug, kissing the top of her head in motherly nature.

* * *

The next night, at work, Nicky's busy taking orders as the bartender, when a scruffy-Italian looking man walks in. She notices how much he closely resembles Lorna - the dark hair, brown eyes, olive skin-tone. He starts walking over, already seeming to be drunk, and a rush of anger runs through her. That had to be her father, he looked too much like her to not be. And the desire to beat him sit in her mind, even though she couldn't - at least not while working, she couldn't afford to lose her job.

She stares at him intensely as he sits down right in front of her, on one of the bar-stools. The rage she feels towards him is hard to keep inside. "What can I get you, _sir_?" Gritting her teeth with every word, she continues to glare at him. The urge to reach over and punch him only grows stronger, but she forces herself to not think about that. She can't have her boss see her go mad, beating a customer, because that would cost her her job - the job that she needed if she wanted to keep her apartment.

"A shot of whiskey," his breath already reeking of alcohol, "Actually make that a full glass! I could use it after the conversation I had with my daughter!" He laughs, rolling his eyes and staring up at Nicky - a smirk on his lips. "You got any kids? They can be a real pain sometimes...and ungrateful little shits too. I mean I took care of her from the time she was born and she thinks she has the right to scream bloody murder at me?! I put a roof over her head, clothes on her body, and food in her mouth - What the hell more does she want? Ungrateful shit is what she is. They all are!" When the whiskey is placed in front of him, a bit harshly, he takes it and chugs it down.

Nicky shakes her head angrily, glaring at him darkly. She's tempted to take that glass and shatter it right over his head. She can't believe how unbelievably cruel his being - blaming this all on Lorna. "You filthy son of a fucking bitch! You're Lorna's father, aren't you?" Seeing him nod and smirk to answer her question, she slams her hands on the counter and stares into his eyes with an unimaginable amount of rage, "You are a sick, demented, evil, piece of shit man to even think about blaming her for anything that's happened! She's got the mind of a damn roller coaster, and all you do is berate her - you fucking make her feel so bad, so bad that she has to create some made-up world to live in! She _needs_ help, something that _you_ should have given to her instead of fucking insulting and belittling her! And because you refuse to do that, I'm letting her stay with me. Because I _will_ get her help - I _will_ take care of her, the way you didn't." She hisses at him, flipping him off with her middle finger.

Hearing what's been said, Miley quickly comes over - hoping to mediate the problem before the manager comes over and possibly fires Nicky for yelling at a customer. But when she sees who her coworker is hollering at, she feels her own anger rising. "Harassing employees is an offense that can have you kicked out, sir. So I would advise you go sit somewhere else, or I'll have someone escort you out of here." She peers into his eyes, a stare that could kill, and watches with relief as he angrily staggers to another table all the way across the room.

The redhead gives a kind smile to Miley, "Thanks for that, kid. You just saved my job." She's grateful for what her coworker did, because she loved working there and would hate to lose it over her impulsive rage. "I didn't mean to have an outburst like that - well at least not while I'm on the clock - but that man, he's fucking sick. He called Lorna the other day, screaming and yelling at her for moving out. The things he said to her just filled me with so much anger! How can a father sit back and watch their own daughter lose touch of reality? And not only does he do nothing to help her, but he makes fun of her for it! What the fuck kind of sick fuck does that?!" Her hands are balled into fists as finds where he's sitting and glares at him.

"That man deserved everything you said to him," Miley responds, shaking her head. She comfortingly places one of her hand's on the other's shoulder, looking empathetically into her eyes, "He's a horrible man - an even worse father. But you need to calm down, Nicky. You can't go over there and do something stupid - not only would you lose this job, but you could get into trouble with the police. So whatever you're thinking, don't do it. He will get what's coming to him; karma's a real bitch."

* * *

Lilly sits on the couch, a book in her lap and a cup of tea in her hand, as she happily lets her mind drift into the story before her. Reading has been her way of escaping her problems ever since she was a little girl. She learned how to read when she was only four, and hasn't been able to stop herself from reading book after book. She smiles while taking a sip of her tea. A great way to end a long day, she thinks to herself.

Sitting on the other couch, Lorna looks over at her periodically as she watches television. She has on one of her all-time favorite movies, _West Side Story_ , ever since she was a child, she adored it. Any time she was having a bad day, she would flip that on and everything else would disappear from her mind. It always makes her feel better, and happy. She sometimes wishes that her life could be like the movie - that it could be as easy as it is to find a kind guy in real life as it is in the movie.

"Lorna?" Lilly asks, after finishing her book, "I was just curious - Is your relationship with Miley getting any better? I know the last time we talked about her, you weren't too happy that she's your sister or uh half-sister. I just - I thought maybe that might have changed? I don't know, I'm sorry for asking - I mean what business is it of mine?"

When hearing the other woman talking to her, Lorna quickly takes her eyes off the screen and glances over at her with a smile. "It is better, actually. And it's okay, Lilly - no need to apologize! That was very sweet of you to ask," she replies. Ever since Miley and Robbie had come over to confront her father, their relationship as sisters began to grow. She would even give her a call once in a while to see how she's doing. Sometimes they would go get a coffee and get to know more about each other.

The blonde smiles, feeling better to know that the two sisters - who she somehow befriended both - were starting to build a relationship. "I'm glad; you're both very nice and easy to talk to. I would hate for you two to be fighting. So anyway, you and Nicky must be good friends now? Isn't that something? My sister and your sister work together, as do the two of us, and yet we each befriend the other sibling. It's like fate or something, I don't know." She says thoughtfully, looking across the room at the older woman.

"Maybe it is," Lorna's always believed in fate and that everyone in her life was exactly who was supposed to be in it. Even those who made living painful or heartbreaking, they were in it for a reason. "Is Nicky you're only sibling?" She randomly decides to ask, realizing she hardly knows much about Lilly and her sister. Sure she knows that the two are around her own age, and are living in apartment, but that's mostly it.

Lilly closes her eyes - she knows that's the only other daughter her mother had, but her father, as sleazy as he was could have easily gotten many other women pregnant. That man slept around like a dog digging for a bone. "As far as I know," she laughs, but deep down, it's true. The chance that Paolo had more children floating around the state was pretty high. He closed his legs for no one. A one-tract mind is what he had - sex, sex, and more sex. And that proved right because he had done it with his own daughter, forcefully and without a singe care as to how much pain it caused her.

She looked over at Lorna, remembering what she heard when coming home the night before, and was curious to know what had happened. She knew her older sister wouldn't say a word about it, but she figured her coworker probably would. "How come you and Nicky were arguing yesterday? I probably shouldn't ask, but I can't help myself. I hardly ever hear my sister yelling like that and I know if I ask her, she won't tell me - she thinks I can't handle anything, which isn't true."

Lorna glances at her, surprised to hear her bring that up. But she figures she might as well tell her, it's not like they're not friends or anything. "Eh, it's nothing really - my dad and I aren't on good terms right now and he said some things that made Nicky angry." That wasn't technically a lie...but it wasn't technically the truth either. She rather not say too much about it to Lilly, just in case Nicky found out and got mad over it.

A horrified expression sits on Lilly's face as she hears that. "Is - does your dad - Oh God! He doesn't do things to you - like really bad things that no father should do kind of things, does he?" She feels sick, wondering if the other woman had the same problems with her dad that she had with hers. That would make a whole lot of sense as to why her sister was so furious last night.

"I mean he's yelled at me and calls me fucked up a lot but he's never done anything physical to me. Why?" Lorna becomes concerned when she sees that the younger girl is lightly shaking, and begins to wonder if that's something that might have happened to her. "Did - did your dad - Did he do something to you?" She moves over to sit beside Lilly, gently grabbing one of her hands and stoking it comfortingly.

She can't bring herself to look at her; the memories start to come back to her, the feeling of his rough touches and harsh words all come flooding through her mind. "He's _not_ my dad...I m-mean if he _was_ my dad, then why - why would - would he act like-like I'm a ran-random woman he ran into at-at a-a bar?! Why - why would he-he pin-pin me d-down and d-do wha-what no father should? And-and our-our mom - mine and Nicky's - she-she did-didn't do anything to stop it!" Her vision blurs as tears pour out of her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. Those memories would never be erased - she will always remember the unimaginable amount of pain that her own father had caused her.

Lorna is beyond shocked at what she's hearing and automatically wraps her arms around the other, trying to comfort her in any way that she possibly can. She strokes her hair gently, looking into her eyes sympathetically, "I'm so sorry that you've had to endure such terrible pain, Lilly. Oh God, is that just sickening! I'm so, so sorry sweetie - What a sick man to do that, and to his own daughter?! Oh is that just absolutely horrific!" She can't even begin to understand how one could even think to do such a thing to their own child. It sickens her to know that there are men like that in the world. She would rather be called _a crazy fuck up_ for the rest of her life then ever have to endure the pain Lilly's had to. Feeling Lilly's body trembling with each of her cries, she shakes her head sadly while holding her tighter and gently rocks her - something her mom had always done for her, when she would have a nightmare or was sick with flu, and that always seemed to calm her.

* * *

An hour later, Lilly's finally asleep in her bed - after Lorna finally got her calmed down - and the brunette is laying on the couch, one of the blankets over her as she stares at the silent television screen. The door opens, Nicky comes in and looks over at Lorna while she throws her stuff over onto the dining room table. "How was your evening, kid? You and Lil hang out?" She asks, once she sees that the other is still awake. She walks over to her and sits on the other end of the couch.

Hearing the redhead's raspy voice, Lorna lifts her head to stare over at her and nods. "We did - she's such a kind girl," she states honestly, but frowns. What she learned about her past, it made her feel absolutely sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe she had to go through something so horrible - rather horrifying. "She and I talked, and she told me about her father. I thought mine was bad, but hers' - he has to be Satan himself! I mean what she said that he did to her, it's sickening! What kind of a father touches their own child like that?!"

Nicky feels another rage coming on but she doesn't have the energy to let it out. She sighs, looking at Lorna, and shakes her head. "Lilly's father is nothing but a piece of shit and so is yours. At least Lilly doesn't have to ever worry about having to see him again - I called the police on him, right after I walked in on him fucking raping her...I wish he would just drop dead! Actually, now that he's in prison - where he belongs - I hope he's getting raped in there and molested just like he fucking did to my baby sister! And your father, dear sweet Lorna, he is a fucking alcohol-drinking asshole! I did say I wanted to meet him, and here he is sitting in front of me as I tend the bar. I was so tempted to reach over the counter and just fucking strangle the life out of him. All he did was bash you and fucking throw a fit because you don't want to deal with it anymore. He can burn in hell; he deserves no daughter as sweet as you, kid. I hope you know that." She pulls her in for a tight hug, kissing the top of her head gently.


	6. Chapter 6

Spring slowly turned into Summer which made the weather in New York much warmer and drier than usual. Miley loved it though, it reminded her of being back home. Summers there were always hot and humid; she and her friends had to lather themselves in sunscreen every hour to keep from burning. That didn't bother her much, she loved to be outside - she spent a lot of her time riding horses, hiking, and swimming in lakes. When she turned eight, her parents surprised her with her own horse, who she named Blue Jeans and immediately fell in love with him. Blue Jeans became her companion for the next sixteen years - she spent more time with him than any of her friends from school. Given most of her school friends only wanted to hang out with her so that they could meet her father, and talk to him about his career; so Miley just gave up on meeting new people and relished in looking after her horse.

Miley walked into her apartment, nearly midnight, and saw that she had a message on her phone. She clicked to listen to it and was surprised to hear her mother's voice - also happy because she missed her mom. "Hey darlin', it's momma," her voice seemed a bit off, kind of like she had been crying, "Give me a call as soon as you get this. It's important, it's about Blue Jeans. Thanks - I love you, Miley." Hearing that brought a bout of tears to Miley's green eyes. She hoped nothing serious was going on with her beloved horse - he meant the world to her, he was like her child; she had taken care of him since he was just a baby.

She knew it was late and that it would be inconsiderate of her to call her mother back at such hour, but she couldn't wait until morning. She needed to find out what was wrong with her horse. When Noelle answered, her voice tired, Miley felt relieved, "I'm so sorry to call so late, momma. But I can't sleep without knowing what's the matter with Blue Jeans. He's okay, right? Please tell me he's not dead! Please tell me he's just ate a snake or something that made him sick! I can't lose my horse - I've had him for so long that I feel like I'm his mother." Tears blurred her vision as she anxiously waited for a response, desperately praying for everything to be okay with her horse.

"Oh honey, I wish I could tell you that he's fine and just misses you, but that's not the case," Her mother says, her southern drawl abnormally thick with sympathy, "He's been acting weird all week - he hasn't touched his food, let any of us close enough to pet him, and he's been going to the bathroom much more frequently. We had the vet come by this morning, and she said that he has cancer. The cancer is really bad, Miles, so bad that she recommended that we should think about putting him to sleep. I know you don't want to lose him, darlin', but he's in so much pain and there's nothing the vet can do. The cancer is too far spread, and having surgery would only make his pain worse, it would only give him a few more weeks. We're not going to make a decision until you come home, he's your horse and you should be the one to decide what happens next."

Sobs overtake her as the thought of losing her horse becomes a reality - the best friend she's ever had, and now she'll have to say goodbye. She and her horse have gone through so much together; their first riding competition, their first trip to the lake - he was there when she had no one else, when everyone in her class hated her and made fun of her, he didn't. Blue Jeans would never hurt her, would never leave her, and now that she had to be the one to decide whether he lives - in severe pain for only weeks - or die, the pain couldn't feel any worse. "I'll - I'll be there as - as soon as I can, momma. Tell him I'll be there very soon and I love him."

* * *

Lorna woke up to the sun shining it's light brightly in her eyes. She covered her face with her hands before reluctantly getting up and making her way into the bathroom. She happily got herself ready for work - applying a light amount of make-up to her face, her favorite bright red lipstick to her lips, and curling her dark hair with the curling-iron. The brunette woman enjoyed doing this ritual every morning, even on days when she didn't work - it made her feel good to do her hair and make-up.

When she finally finished, she walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. As it began to perk, she sat down at the table to wait and was greeted by Lilly, who sat on the opposite end. "Morning, Lilly," Lorna smiled, peering over at her. Ever since she learned what had happened to the younger woman, she became a closer friend to her - making sure that she knows that if she ever needs anything, she'll be there for her.

The blonde, who was busy reading a message on her phone, quickly lifted her head to smile back at her. "Good morning. Ready for another long day at work? It's like they don't know how to hire more people," Lilly says, lightly laughing. But seriously, they really did need to hire more workers. They couldn't expect two people to work all hours of the day, every day. That just wasn't right.

"Not really, but at least we'll get a good paycheck!" Lorna tried to keep a positive outlook on all the hours she's been forced to work. Sure, she didn't think it was fair that the two of them had to take all the long shifts, but at least the paycheck would be good. She could use it to help her friends pay the rent - living in New York definitely wasn't cheap. "You want a cup of coffee? I think it's done brewing," she asks, getting up and taking two mugs from the cabinet. She fills them both, going back to the table and handing a steaming cup to Lilly.

Sipping the bold coffee, Lilly gratefully thanks her. Before the two women could continue their converastion, she recieves a message from Miley - one that makes her heart break. She looks back up at Lorna, "Did you know that Miley's gone back to her home in Tennessee? She said she doesn't know when she'll be back - something's wrong with her horse. She just got there a few minutes ago." Her blue eyes are filled with concern, she hopes that everything will be okay for her friend. She knows how much the woman loves her horse and would hate for something terrible to happen.

Lorna quirks her eyebrows in confusion - it's just a horse, she thinks. She shook her head while sipping on her coffee. "No, she hasn't said anything to me about it. What's wrong with the horse?" Though she didn't see a reason to go back home over an animal, that didn't mean that she wouldn't worry for her sister. Who knows? That horse could be to Miley as fantasies are to Lorna.

Reading the next text silently, Lilly feels even worse for her friend. "He has cancer, her mom called her last night and told her. They wanted her to come home so that she could spend time with him before he's put down," she replies, feeling her eyes water up. The pain Miley must be going through makes her heart ache for her. She can't imagine what it must be like to lose something so close to her. "I feel absolutely terrible for her - she loves that horse, she tells me about him all the time. She's had him since she was only a little girl, I can't even begin to imagine how painful this has to be for her. Having to literally sit and watch her horse die - Oh God, the thought just makes me ill. That's so horrible to have to see him suffer up until he takes his last breath."

* * *

After a twelve hour drive, Miley was glad to finally arrive at her childhood home. A beautiful ranch house surrounded by acres of land and a variety of animals. She walked up the stairs to the porch - greeted by a little kitten, she bent down to gently stroke it's fur - and then quickly entered the house. Noelle, who's dark hair was up in a long tail, ran to embrace her grown daughter. She kissed the top of her head lovingly, squeezing her tight - she really missed not having her little girl around.

Her mother stood there just holding her for several minutes, then pulled away and gave her a sad smile. "You're really grown, aren't you? You look absolutely beautiful, Miley Ray. I've missed you so much, darlin'. We all have around here! Mamaw came here as soon as she heard that you'd be home. Grandma Ruby is here too, and I invited your friend Suzanne over for dinner. I thought she might be able to help you - she just had to have her horse, Dandelion, put to sleep. Poor thing, she loved that horse almost as much as you love Blue Jeans. And plus, she missed you a lot. You two have been friends since you were in diapers, it shocked me to see how you were able to leave without your best friend." She stroked Miley's long locks, kissing her head gently.

Miley sighed - having to deal with relatives and Suzanne was the last thing she wanted to do. But she put on a smile, hugging her mother back. She then went to go up to her room, and unload her suitcase. Her room looked the same as it always had - her bed neatly made, her clothes hanging in the closet in order of color, and the wooden floor sparkled without a trace of any dirt. As much as she loathed the reason she was back here, she was still happy to be back in her home - right where she belonged, even if just for a week.

"Oh Miley!" A familiar voice from the doorway greeted, "I bet you can't guess who it is!" The dark woman, with big black eyes and black hair up in braids, runs in the room to cover Miley's eyes before she can get a glimpse at her. A huge grin is on her face as she's very glad to have her best friend finally home again. The past few years have been excruciatingly lonely without her.

Laughing at the other's actions, Miley knows exactly who it is. What other grown woman would still play such childish games as this? "Gee, I have no clue...Could it be my crazy friend, Suzanne?" When the hands are removed from her eyes and she sees the expression on her childhood-best-friend's face, she mentally slaps herself for saying that. "Suz, you know I didn't mean that in a bad way! You're not crazy- _crazy_...You're crazy _fun_ \- That's what I meant. Please don't be mad, you're my best friend, I'd never say anything to hurt you," She gently spoke, pulling her in for a hug.

Suzanne nodded her head slowly, grinning once again as she hug her back. Miley was her only true friend - in elementary school, she had been nicknamed _'Crazy Eyes'_ and that stuck until graduation from high school. All the other students, except Miley, would tease her because of how big her eyes were - telling her she looked like she could kill someone, or that she'd be the one to hurt innocent animals. "Nah, I know, I know - I was just playing with ya, Miles! How the hell ya been?! It's not the same around here without you. Your brother has taken on the role of annoying me, in place of you. Callin' me in the middle of the night to tell me my fridge is running! That Jackson, I'll tell ya," she wags her finger while talking, "He's somethin' all right."

Even when she wanted nothing to do but cry, Suzanne always seemed to cheer her up - without even realizing it. She couldn't help but smile as she enjoy the embrace of her best friend. "I've been okay, New York is definitely different than our little town here. So many people and cars, it's insane down there. But I've made some good friends, and met my other family - the father's an idiot, but my siblings are nice," she lets out a laugh, patting her head, "That just means he thinks of you as a sister. That's a pretty good compliment, Suz."

* * *

On her way to her car, Lorna sees her older sister standing at the front of the parking lot. Her arms are crossed over chest and her face red with anger. Her heart beats faster as she quickly walks over to the older woman. "What's going on, Franny? What-What are you doing here?" She begins to worry, wondering what could possibly be wrong - she hasn't seen her sister look so angry in a long time. And it was out of her element to come see Lorna at work, so something serious must be going on.

Franny shakes her head, disgusted with her younger sister, "The fuck's the matter with you, Lorna?!" She takes her by the shoulders, angrily shaking her - wishing that would shake the crazy out of her. "Why the hell are you living with some random woman you met off the fucking street? And making up lies about your own father! He don't do nothing to you - all he does is call you fucked up and that's only because it's true. You are pretty damn fucked up, Lorna! So why the hell is this 'friend' yelling at dad in front of a whole bunch of people at the bar?! Huh? What the fuck kinda lies are you feeding to _her_? You really are sick, you know that? Can't you ever just fucking get your damn act together and live in reality like the rest of humanity?! And I hope you're not still stalking Christopher, because you're this fucking close to getting yourself sent to jail! He is fed up with you - quite frankly, _we_ all _are_." She yells, glaring into the smaller woman's frightened eyes. She's tired of having to clean up her sister's messes, tired of having to be the mediator between her and their father.

"Dad's calling me fucked up isn't doing anything to me?! That's - That's not a problem?!" Lorna cries out, feeling rage crawl within her. She's sick of her family treating her like she's not worthy of being alive. "My friend - who I did not just meet on the street - is named Nicky, and she's a good fucking person - better than dad, or you, or Mikey! She doesn't make fun of me or insult me just because I have a mental condition. She's been helping me so much for the last months, much more than any of you three have and she's not even family! And she got mad because my own father calls me fucked up - he deserved to be screamed at, get a taste of his own fucking medicine. If you're all so fed up with me, then it shouldn't matter to you where the fuck I live! Just leave me the fuck alone." Tears are running down her cheeks as she starts heading towards her car. Knowing that her own family will never care for her rips her heart in to pieces more and more each day.

The taller woman scoffs, rolling her eyes, "Yeah, well when Nicky realizes what a fuck up you are, don't come crying to me about it! I warned you, Lorna." She angrily leaves, not giving her sister a second glance.

* * *

Lorna sits in her car, too upset and angry to start it right away. She can't believe that Franny would stick up for their father, especially after they watched how he treated Miley. She slams her hand on the window, letting out some out of her anger. She was thankful that their half-sister didn't have to grow up with them - she had a chance at a better life, and that's all Lorna could ask for her younger sister.

* * *

When she finally arrives back at Nicky's apartment, which she could probably start calling it hers as well since there's no chance of her being welcomed back home, she quickly gets out of her car and runs up to the door. She opens it and walks inside, making her way to the bathroom and locking the door behind her. She stands in front of the mirror, staring intensely at her reflection. Rage fills her body as she looks around the room for something sharp. The amount of hate she has towards herself couldn't get any worse.

Coming across a pair of tweezers, Lorna traces it lightly along her skin. She feels a bit of relief from the anger she's experiencing. She digs it in a little deeper so that it actually draws some blood. Another feeling of relief washes over her while she continues to prick her skin with the somewhat sharp object. As much as it makes her forget about how much her family has neglected her, it also makes her feel worse - she hates herself even more for it, which makes her cut herself deeper - so deep that the blood won't stop coming out and now she's panicked.

A knock on the door brings Lorna to her senses, she quickly throws the tweezers back where she found them and covers her arms with a paper towel. "Lorna, you in there?" Nicky's voice asks, "The door's been shut for a while now, are you okay?" The brunette hurriedly looks around the bathroom for band-aids, to cover the evidence.

"I'm fine, be out in a sec," she says, finding a box of band-aids and quickly covers up the cuts. When she's finished, she goes over to the door and opens it, looking at Nicky with a sheepish smile. "I think something I ate didn't agree with me or something. We had Mexican for lunch at work today," Lorna hopes desperately that the taller woman buys her lie, because she can't have her find out about her other problem.

Nicky shakes her head, disbelievingly as she carefully examines her friend. She notices the many band-aids covering her arm, one with red liquid seeping through. "What's with all the band-aids, kid? You get into a fight or something?" She inwardly laughs at the thought of Lorna ever getting into a fight, because that's definitely not in her nature. But what else could explain the mysterious cuts on her arm?

Nervously laughing, and sweating, Lorna shakes her head. "I'm just such a klutz, you know? Had to help prepare lunch today for the elderly, and ended up cutting my arm more than the vegetables." That has to be more believable, right? It's easy for someone to accidentally cut their arm while cooking, many people have done that. She tried to walk into the living room, but Nicky stopped her.

The redhead wasn't buying a word that came out of Lorna's mouth. She gently grabbed her arm, examining it closely and realized one of the cuts seemed to be bleeding profusely. "What really happened, Lorna? There's no way this was a fucking accident, it's bleeding like crazy. And how could you possibly cut yourself more than once on accident, huh?" Nicky shakes her head, gently taking the band-aid off, and gasping at how deep the cut is. "This is really fucking deep, kid! It's gonna need stitches, if you ever want it to stop bleeding."

The brunette pulls her arm away, refusal very apparent in her brown eyes. She walks to the kitchen and grabs a paper towel, holding it onto the cut. "That _is_ what _really_ happened, Nicky! I've always been bad in the kitchen, ask my sister. And no, it's fine, I'm not getting no damn stitches!" She yells, applying more pressure to the wound. She refuses to let her friend find out about what she really did - there's no way she'd let her take away her other way of forgetting about her problems. She already lost her Christopher, she won't lose her cutting either.

Nicky can't help but feel anger take over as she slams the wall with her fist. She knows when she's being lied to and this is no different. She can easily tell that Lorna's not being honest with her about what happened to her arm. She walks over to her, a bit harshly grabbing her arm and pointing at the four different spots covered in band-aids, "That is not fucking from you mistaken your arm for a damn potato or onion or whatever the hell you were chopping up! That is from you purposefully digging a fucking knife into your arm! Please Lorna, you think I'm really that stupid?! I fucking witnessed you almost kill yourself, so why would I not know that those cuts on your arm are from you actually wanting to cut them? Now all I wanna know is why? Why the fuck would you do that, kid? Is that your new choice of escape since your fantasy has been taken away? Huh, is that what it is?" When what she says registers in her mind, she instantly regrets it. She didn't mean to throw the other's mental condition in her face like that, especially when that's why she nearly lost her job for yelling at Lorna's father.

"I-I-I," Lorna cries, feeling worse than she did after she cut herself. She looks up at the taller woman, hurt in her eyes, "W-why - why would you say that?! Oh God, Franny's right! You don't - You don't want some fuck-up like me living with you!" Tears are thick in her eyes, she can't stand it anymore. Every time she meets a person, becomes friends with that person, eventually they realize just how crazy she is and don't want to deal with her anymore. And now that's what it seems Nicky's doing to her. "I'm sorry - So sorry for coming in your life and ruining it! For stalking you and almost killing your fiancee! I - please - just please don't call the police, please don't, Christopher. I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused, I'll leave," Lorna doesn't even realize that she's not even talking about what's going on right in front of her.

Anger turns into extreme concern as Nicky's brown eyes softly peer into Lorna's. She pulls her in for a tight embrace, worried deeply for the woman. "Lorna - Lorna, what's going on? Why are you apologizing to me like I'm Christopher? Christopher's not here, kid. Are you - Are you hallucinating?" She frantically questions, holding her tighter while running a hand through her hair. She carries her gently in her arms, sitting down on the couch with her and presses a loving kiss to her head.

The dark haired woman doesn't answer her, instead closes her eyes. She can't even remember where she's at, all she can see and hear is Christopher's voice - yelling at her, telling her how she'll never be loved by anyone and she believes it. Especially now, when no one in her family cared what happened to her. _Angela and I are married now, Lorna, and there's nothing you can do about it. She's already pregnant with our first baby._ She can hear him laughing and holds her hands over her ears, letting tears run heavily down her face. "Please - Please stop Christopher - I don't - I can't take this, I can't take hearing about your life with Angela! Leave me alone! Just leave me alone, it hurts too much," she sobs out, but his voice won't stop haunting her. _You're so messed up, Lorna - If you think your friendship with Nicky will last, you're even crazier than you already are!_

Nicky feels her heart ache for the girl, it seems her mental condition keeps getting worse. She gently lays Lorna's head onto her chest, stroking her hair soothingly. "Shh, Christopher isn't here - I promise you that, kid. I'd beat his ass if he were, believe me." She gently rubs her back, trying anything she can to get her to rejoin reality. The look in Lorna's eyes easily tells her how far away she is from her, making her sigh. She wraps a blanket around them, kissing the top of her friend's head lovingly, "Get some sleep, Lorna. Maybe that'll help you. Christopher will leave when you sleep, kid. If he doesn't, I'll ring his neck."

Lorna tries to close her eyes but his face shows up and he continues to yell at her. More tears fall from her eyes as she realizes what a mess her life has become. She can't even enjoy her fantasy anymore - it's turned into a nightmare, a complete and utter nightmare. _You're never going to be rid of me, Lorna - this is what you wanted, you said so yourself. You've begged for me to stay in your life. Well now here I am! Oh what, you don't like it? Why, because I'm here to make you feel worse - to tell you just how truly fucking crazy and insane you are? Too bad, you get what you get._ Holding her ears tightly, she shakes her head and screams, "Go away, go away, go away! Ple-please just go away! I'll never bother you again, I swear to God I won't, just please go away Christopher." She doesn't understand why all of sudden she's hearing his voice in her head. How could her condition just worsen over night like this?

"Lorna, Lorna!" Nicky gently shakes her, looking into her eyes worriedly and a bit frightened at what could possibly be going on in her mind. "Christopher is not fucking here, Lorna! I mean it, he's not. I would see him too, if he were in here but I don't which means that whatever you're seeing, it's not real," she says, but hates to see how much pain the smaller woman's in - how broken she is and has no one but Nicky to help her through this. Sighing, knowing her words can't bring her back, she lays her back down and softly begins to rock her as she gently brush a hand through her hair. "Soon Christopher will leave, I promise. It's getting late, he needs to go. And you, kid, you need to sleep. Sleep is the only thing that can help you right now, it'll knock you out of whatever world you're in, because you surely aren't here with me." She kisses her forehead comfortingly, wishing it would bring her back. "It's gonna be okay, kid. Tomorrow I think we should go see a doctor and have you looked at. This mental condition isn't going away on it's own, sweetie."

* * *

After a nice family supper, Miley finally decides to see her horse. She can't bare to see him in pain, but doesn't want him to be alone, especially not on his last few days. Slowly she walks the few acres it takes to get to the horse stable, a small barn directly behind their ranch house, when she opens the door, she sees him laying on the ground in his stall. Her heart breaks at the sight of him - he looks nothing like the horse she left behind three years ago. He's so thin that she can see the outline of his ribs, it makes her visibily sick to see him in such a way.

She gently reaches down to pet his nose, giving him a sad smile, "Hey buddy," she chokes out, opening the door of the stall and sitting on the floor beside him. She lays her head against his, stroking his fur lovingly. "I've missed you so much, Blue Jeans. New York is crazy - traffic jams are everywhere, I can't even drive to work without having to take a ten minute detour. And the weather, it's much colder there - you would hate it. It gets so cold at night, even in the summer. It makes no sense to me. What are you gonn do though, right?" Tears fall from her eyes as she looks into his eyes, seeing the pain that he's clearly in and that only makes things harder for her. She kisses his cheek, patting the tip of his nose lightly. "Momma tells me your sick, buddy. I'm so sorry! You don't look too good, Blue...I hate seeing you like this, you don't deserve this! You're the sweetest horse I've ever seen, so gentle and loving. Why should a horse like you have cancer?! Why?!" She angrily screams out, but tries to calm herself not wanting to scare her horse.

Suzanne, who had silently followed her out there, stood in the doorway of the barn and watched her with sorrow. When she had to say goodbye to Dandelion, it was the worst pain she ever felt. She could definitely relate to what her best friend was going through, and it tore at her heart to watch it happen. Gently, she made her way over to the other, sitting down beside her and stroking her hand comfortingly, "I'm so sorry you have to go through this, Miley. It's the worst pain there is to watch a horse that you've grown so fond of to suffer and die right in front of you. I sat by Dandelion's side the entire time, from the moment they injected her til the moment she took her last breath and it was the most upsetting thing I've ever seen but I was thankful to know that my beautiful girl didn't have to suffer anymore. She's now floating around in horse heaven with all the other beautiful horses, watching over me. And I know she's okay, she came to me in a dream the other night and let me ride her one last time. She looked as healthy as ever, absolutely beautiful. And as hard as it is for you to say goodbye to Blue Jeans, it's what he needs - he needs you to put him out of his misery. The cancer is already bad, Miles, it'll only get worse and will only cause him more pain. So it's better to let him go now, in peace and right beside the person he loves most - _you_."


	7. Chapter 7

The sun beamed in through the window of Lilly's bedroom waking her from her peaceful slumber. She sat up in her bed, a wave of nausea hitting her the moment she opened her eyes, and held her hand over her mouth to stop from gagging. Quickly, the blonde woman ran as fast as she could to the bathroom to heave over the toilet. When finally finished she went to clean herself up and dress herself for the day. Her stomach still felt a bit queasy but she chose to ignore it, making her way into her room to find something to wear.

After finding a nice summer outfit, she quickly walked into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Her sister and Lorna were sitting at the table having breakfast, and the smell of it brought her another bout of nausea - she had to frisk her way back to the bathroom, heaving once again over the toilet. She couldn't figure out what was causing her to feel so sick - it didn't feel like the flu, she hadn't eaten anything out of the ordinary, so the sudden waves of nausea confused her. Then she remembered - when her father raped her, two months ago now, he most likely didn't use a condom - all color drained from her face and she found herself back in front of the toilet. The thought that there's a possibility that she might be pregnant with her own father's baby made her physically ill. She'd have a reminder of what he'd done to her for the rest of her life, and God only knows how the baby would turn out. Not only would it be a rape baby, but also an incest baby, and that absolutely disgusted her.

Lilly finally returned to the kitchen to get her coffee. "Are you okay, Lil?" The blonde turned and noticed the concerned expression on Nicky's face, likewise on Lorna's. Holding a steaming cup, Lilly slowly nodded. She couldn't say anything, not when she didn't even know if it was the truth, so she put on a smile and sat at the table to enjoy her coffee. The scent of food still irritated her, but she could manage to keep it inside this time.

The older women shared a look, not entirely sure that Lilly was telling the truth, but kept their mouths shut. "Have you heard from Miley lately? I talked to her the other day and she said she was on her way home," Lorna wondered, glancing over at the blonde. Although her relationship with Miley was improving, they weren't nearly as close as she and Lilly were.

"I'm actually headed over there this morning. She said her best friend from back home is moving in with her. I believe her name is Suzanne or something - she had to go through the same thing with her horse. So at least Miley has someone to help her through the loss," Lilly sips her coffee, shaking her head. After talking to her on the phone last night, it broke her heart at how distraught she was. "That must be just awful, to lose something so close to you - And have to sit there to watch him die, I don't know how she did it. Miley has to be the strongest person I've ever met. I wouldn't be able to witness my beloved pet's death, it would hurt too much." Sympathetic tears fall from her eyes as she stares down at her mug. She doesn't even realize that she's crying until a loud sob escapes her.

To see her sister cry over a horse - a horse that she's never even met - brings a bout of concern to Nicky. She reaches across the table to grab a hold of her hand, stroking it softly. "Are you sure you're okay, kid? I mean I understand that it must really be hard for Miley to have to lose her horse, and I get that you're feeling sympathy for her and all, but you're having a complete breakdown _over a horse_ \- that you've never even seen!" She looks into the other's eyes, wondering what on earth is going in that head of hers.

Tears quickly turn into anger as Lilly yanks her hand away, throwing her cup in the sink, and heads to the door. She doesn't feel right; her stomach is queasy, her mind is full of sympathy for her friend, and her body is full of anger towards her sister - a reason she can't explain. Before leaving, she stares over at the two women - who sit at the table, worried because of her actions - and says, "That horse happened to be Miley's, the only best friend I've ever had, beloved pet. So forgive me for feeling fucking sorry for my friend!" She opens the door, "I'll be back tonight or whenever I feel like coming back," and hurriedly takes off.

Nicky and Lorna stare at the door, then at each other. What the hell could that be about? They both wondered; neither have ever seen Lilly so mad before. "Something's going on with her," the redhead finally speaks up, "This isn't how she normally acts. I have no idea what the hell's going on with her, but I swear to God I'm gonna find out. It can't be over that horse, there's something else. She was running to the bathroom earlier when she first came in here - Oh _Christ_! She better not be doing what I think she's doing, I'll have to fucking beat some sense in to her!"

Deep in thought, Lorna shakes her head. She's seen her older sister get like this many times - one minute she'd be laughing, telling jokes, and the next she'd be crying over spilt milk. Then nine months later she popped out a baby. "Franny used to get emotional like that, when she was pregnant. She'd be happy one minute, and the next she'd be rearranging the furniture while screaming at the rest of us. And she was always so nauseous, running to the bathroom every ten minutes. Is there any chance Lilly might be pregnant?" The brunette states while taking a sip of the orange juice in front of her.

All the color instantly drained from Nicky's face at the thought of her sister being pregnant. It did make sense, but the realization that if Lilly was pregnant, her baby would be a product of rape and, also, incest hadn't sit well with her. That's the last thing she wanted her sister to have to go through - an unwanted pregnancy on top of the pain she held deep inside of what her father had done to her. "I surely fucking hope not! If she is, the father of her baby would be _her_ father! That's just sick, and will hurt Lilly even more. It'll be a reminder of all the suffering she's had to endure - a reminder that she can never be completely rid of her father. I hope to God that she's not pregnant, I don't want to see her go through any more torment."

* * *

On her way to Miley's place, Lilly decides to stop at the pharmacy. Even though the thought of carrying her father's baby inside of her deeply sickens her, she needs to get a pregnancy test and find out. It's not like the potential baby chose for this to happen, so she couldn't deny it the essential vitamins and minerals it needed. She sighed, slowly walking through the isles until she finally came to the pregnancy one. She searched through the many tests, picking one from each brand - figuring a variety would help in determining how accurate the results are.

After paying for the merchandise, she goes to the restroom and spends the next thirty minutes taking each test. She desperately prays that she's not pregnant - she can't handle having her father's baby inside of her, it makes her feel dirty and disgusting. Taking a deep breath and opening her eyes, Lilly looks a all three sticks. Two lines appear on each one, her heart instantly drops. She rubs her eyes, to make sure she's not seeing things, and lets tears run down her cheeks as she digests the fact that she's pregnant - with her father's child. She can't even begin to imagine what the baby might look like or how it will survive knowing that it shares the same father as it's mother.

* * *

Lilly walks up to the stairs of the apartment complex where Miley resides, and knocks on the door. When it opens, she comes face to face with a woman she's never met before and wonders if she knocked on the wrong door. "This is Miley's apartment, right? I mean I remember coming to this one before, but maybe I've mistaken it or something," she rambles, peering at the taller woman in front of her - the woman is a full foot taller than her with a darker skin tone and huge black eyes that seem to be staring into her soul.

"Oh no, this is Miley's place," Suzanne responds, eyeing Lilly suspiciously - she hadn't been advised that anyone was coming over today. Encountering new people without notice is not high on Suzanne's to-do list. "How ya know Miles? You one of her friends from the bar? Oh my God, you're a drug dealer! Aren't you?!"

Hearing her friend interrogate Lilly in such a way, Miley quickly makes her way over to them. She grabs Suzanne by the shoulders and firmly pulls her away from the door, giving an apologetic look to the blonde as she motions for her to come in. "Sorry about that, Lilly. This is my childhood best friend, Suzanne, from Tennessee. She - and all my family back home - are intent on thinking everyone here in New York is a drug dealer," she says gently, giving a friendly embrace to Lilly. The chestnut haired woman turns to face Suzanne and smiles, "This is my friend Lilly, Suz. And no she's not my coworker, that's actually her older sister Nicky. Don't worry, neither of em' are drug dealers - they're both very sweet people. You'll like them, Suz."

Grinning, Suzanne instantly wraps Lilly in a bone-crushing hug, "Well I'll be damned! It sure is nice to meet ya, Lilly! Miley didn't tell me you were coming over; so when you showed up unannounced, I just assumed you were here to sell drugs. My bad, my bad." She finally released the smaller woman, her grin never faultering.

The blonde - not quite sure what to think of her - puts on a smile and nods her head in acceptance of Suzanne's implied apology. She glances back at Miley, wondering how she was doing after the tragic ordeal she went through with her horse. "So, how are you doing Miley?" Lilly asks, still feeling bad for what she's had to go through.

"Better than I have been," Miley answers honestly, giving a sad smile to her friend. It warms her heart to know that Lilly cared for her and was there through the loss of her precious Blue Jeans - even if only through text messages, that still meant so much to the southern woman. "You and Suzanne have really helped me cope. You guys are such great friends, I really appreciate the two of you."

* * *

Nicky can't remember the last time she's had a Saturday off and is happy to be spending it with Lorna. The two decided to go into town and walk around for a while - it turned out to be a warm and sunny day. They went into a tiny consignment shop - rather Lorna dragged Nicky in with her - and looked around aimlessly. Shopping was definitely not something the redhead favored nor enjoyed, but she did enjoy the time she was spending with her friend, so she wouldn't mind putting up with that for a couple of hours.

Browsing through the wracks of clothing, Nicky rolled her eyes. Most of it seemed to be preppy and expensive, definitely not her taste. It reminded her of the clothing her mother would wear and that made her hate it even more. She shook her head, walking further through the store, and noticed Lorna standing at the sales desk with a handful of outfits, a few pairs of shoes, and a handbag. Figures the brunette would love the preppy clothing, Nicky thinks.

* * *

When they finish shopping, Nicky decides that the two of them should go to the bar and have a few drinks together. She could use that, after being forced into such an uppity, feminine clothing shop. Fortunately, Lorna agrees, and it's also happy hour which means cheap drinks - on top of Nicky's already decent discount.

Seated at a table, Nicky orders her usual drink - vodka, more vodka, and a tiny bit of coke mixed in - while Lorna just orders a glass of wine. "You bought a lot of stuff, kid. Are you a shopaholic now, too?" She asks, a smirk on her face as she stares across at the brunette. For a small little shop it sure had a lot of items and Lorna bought a quarter of them.

Lorna's cheeks flush pink with embarrassment as she reaches to take a sip of the wine. "They just had so many cute outfits, I couldn't help myself. Plus I needed shoes to match and my old purse has gotten so bad that I needed a new one." She tries to defend herself - shopping happens to be another one of her coping mechanisms and she has yet to break herself of such habit.

With a shrug, Nicky chuckles and shakes her head. There's so much about Lorna that would usually flat out irritate the hell out of her, but nothing does. In fact, everything that the petite woman does makes her like her more. Even her loopy roller coaster of a mind, it makes Nicky want to keep watch over her and make sure that it doesn't get out of hand. "To each their own," she says, gulping down her drink. When the waiter comes back, she orders another.

"Wow," the brunette watches Nicky in amazement, how it only took her a total of ten minutes to finish her drink - mostly vodka with a little trace of coke - she wasn't much of a drinker, but she did know that vodka was a pretty heavy alcohol. "Isn't that stuff really strong? And you're about to start on your second glass already, that's crazy!"

Smirking, Nicky just stares at her. "Vodka's nothing, kid. I've drunk beers stronger than this!" She notices how Lorna's glass looks like it's barely been touched, she quirks an eyebrow at her, "I'm assuming you're a lightweight since you've barely drank any of that wine. Am I correct?" She questions, her tone playful.

Lorna looks down at her wine and slightly pouts at it. She really has no clue what kind of weight she is when it comes to alcohol - she's hardly drank much in the past twenty-six years that she's been alive. Sure, she's had the occasional glass of wine at Christmas or a beer or two on a hot, summer day, but she's never drank enough to experience a hangover the next day or what it's like to just be drunk. Looking back up at Nicky, she smirks back, "You could be or you could not be. We'll have to find out," she brings the glass to her lips and chugs it down.

Surprised, Nicky watches her with her mouth slightly gaped open. Then she laughs, reaching over the table to give her friend's hand a high-five. "Wow, kid - I'm shocked, I didn't think you had it in you! Nice work." She peers over at her, waiting to see if she was right about her assumption. When she sees the dazed look in Lorna's eyes and how relaxed her face becomes, she knows that she had been correct.

A huge smile forms on Lorna's face as she orders another glass of wine. She feels nice - relaxed and mellow, something she's never quite felt before. Her vision is a bit hazy; while staring across at Nicky, it seems as if she has more than two eyes on her face and that brings a bout of laughter to the brunette. "I think you may be right, Nicky," she nods in-between laughs, "You have four eyes! Did you know that? Oh my is it me or is the room doing somersaults?"

Stiffling a laugh, Nicky reachers over to grab a hold of the other's hand, "Maybe you should take this drinking thing a little slower, kid. Don't wanna overdo it, right? I mean you're already lit and you've only had one glass of wine."

"But I feel so - _so great_!" Lorna slurs, a beaming smile on her face. She grabs the second glass, that has just been placed in front of her, and takes a bigger than usual sip of it. "Everything just feels so nice, Nicky. I can actually focus on our conversation - without having to worry about the voices in my head, I think the wine has finally shut them up! This is wonderful, we'll have to do this more often - come here, drink, and just enjoy talking about things that don't really matter."

Nicky's expression goes from joking around to being serious in a matter of seconds. She doesn't like what she's hearing - the fact that Lorna would bring up the voices and how drinking seems to help stop them left an awful taste in the redhead's mouth. "No more wine after this one, Lorna. You'll regret it in the morning! Believe me, I know. It feels nice now but nothing nice lasts long. You'll want to have some water so you don't get a headache." She strokes Lorna's hand with her thumb, looking at her with a gentle smile.

* * *

After spending a few hours at the bar, Nicky felt it was time for them to go home. She had to literally carry Lorna to the car - she was too wobbly from the wine to walk on her own - and then up to the apartment, into her bedroom. Only two glasses and the brunette was floating in the clouds, not too surprising to Nicky. Figuring in how short and tiny she was that made sense.

Lorna lay in the bed, her eyes still in a daze, and looks over at her friend. She smiles - she's never had a friend like Nicky before; no one ever took interest in the girl with all the crazy fantasies. Nicky, not only did she save her life, but she also chose to stay and help her through the rest of her problems. She even allowed her to stay with her and stood up for her to her father - Nicky has to be the best friend she's ever made and she will be forever grateful for having such a person in her life.

"Thanks Nicky - for everything," Lorna says, peering at the redhead with a warm smile. "You're the kindest friend I've ever had, honestly. And the truest, no one ever stuck around long once they realized how fuzzy my mind is. But you have and that really means a lot to me." She can't help herself - she needs to hug Nicky, and so she gets up and walks over to her, still a bit wobbly from the alcohol. She wraps her arms around her neck, giving her a friendly but tight embrace.

Hugging the shorter woman back, she looks softly down at her. There was something about Lorna, from the moment that she saw her on the edge of that bridge, something that just made Nicky completely adore her. "Eh you don't have to thank me for a thing, kid. I couldn't just abandon you after what I nearly witnessed. Only a jackass would do that! Besides you're an interesting woman, you intrigue me," she tenderly runs a finger through the other's brown hair.

Hearing that only causes Lorna's smile to grow, she squeezes her tighter in their embrace. "Well _you_ intrigue _me_ , Nicky. I've never met a person like you before. On the outside you seem tough and cold, but really you're a kind and loving woman who just happens to tell it like it is. You're so brutally honest, but in the nicest way possible. That's a great quality to have," The brunette says, her eyes grinning up at her friend. Nicky is one of a kind, she thinks, and she's so glad that she met her.

Nicky smirks, pressing a kiss to the other's forehead, another to her cheek, then her jaw and chin, and soon enough their lips brush together in the most pleasant kiss either have ever felt. Nicky finds herself gently pushing Lorna onto the bed and slowly undressing her, brushing her lips over every inch of her skin. From a very young age, the feisty redhead knew she was gay - men always disgusted her, mainly because of how Paolo had treated she and her sister which made her assume that all men were sick like that - and all through high school she would spend her leisure time having sex with the other lesbian teens. None of them mattered though, they were just there to fill her void - to make her feel like she had some sort of purpose, pleasuring her fellow lesbian friends. That was always fast and hard, not like what she and Lorna were doing now. Lorna actually meant something to her, and she wanted to take things slow and enjoy every minute of the intimacy they were sharing. She was much more gentle, because she felt that's what would work best for the tiny woman lying beneath her.

* * *

An hour later both women lay happily in Nicky's bed. Lorna, with the sheets wrapped around her bare skin and her head leaning against the redhead's chest, can't believe what happened - she's never been into a woman before, but what Nicky just did to her left her feeling like the luckiest person in the world. She's had sex with a few men before - excluding Christopher - and none of it even comes close to how amazing it felt with Nicky.

Peering up at the taller woman, her brown eyes shining, she beams euphorically at her. She gently strokes Nicky's cheek, kissing her lips tenderly, "I've never had sex like that before. That was absolutely the most amazing feeling I've ever had - you're amazing, Nicky. So much better than any of the men I've slept with - you're gentle and slow, they were rough and harsh." She was only fourteen the first time she had sex, and only did it to shut her friends up about her still being a virgin. A decision she'll regret for the rest of her life as she had always hoped her first time would be with a person she truly loved. And that man, sixteen at the time, was definitely not someone she loved.

Nicky pulls the smaller woman closer, kissing her head warmly. She looks softly into her eyes, "When was the first time you had sex? Mine was in high school, I pretty much had sex with every lesbian I could find. I enjoyed bringing pleasure to the fellow lesbian community, one woman at a time. You, though, you kind of look like the woman who would wait until marriage for sex. Not that that's a bad thing or anything, kid, you just have such an innocent demeanor, you know? I honestly couldn't picture you having sex at such a young age." Her voice gentle, though a playful smirk lays amongst her face as she stare down into the captivating brown eyes that are peering up at her.

"Well then, prepared to be shocked," Lorna begins, letting out a light laugh, "My freshman year of high school, recently turned fourteen and the only girl to still wear clothes picked out by her mother, I started dating some guy named Jordan, he was a junior at the time. We went on a couple of dates, and my friends kept going on about how they've all had sex and that I should to - so that I'm not the only virgin in the entire ninth grade. And because I've always wanted to fit in, I forced myself to do it with Jordan. Worst decision ever, I never imgained that sex could be so painful. I always thought sex was supposed to be about love and I was proved wrong. Because what Jordan and I did - it was _not_ love, it was the worst thing I've ever felt and I will regret it for the rest of my life."

Hearing that wipes the smirk off Nicky's face instantly. She runs a hand lovingly through Lorna's hair while using her other hand to gently caress her cheek. "Jesus, kid - Fourteen is awfully young to be having sex! What kind of fucking high school did you go to? That's really fucked up for fourteen year olds to think that if they don't have sex then they're not normal," she shakes her head, unable to believe that Lorna would actually listen to a bunch of idiot teens and do something that she clearly wasn't ready for just to please them and keep their friendship. "Some fucking friends you had. Though I can't entirely say I'm surprised that you let them talk you into it, because you are such a damn people-pleaser. I can bet that they didn't really have sex, they just wanted to make you think that so that you would do it. Fucking manipulative assholes is what your friends were. Sex isn't supposed to be painful...unless, did this Jordan guy rape you? Did he force himself on you, Lorna?" The thought alone boils a rage inside of the redhead.

Lorna thinks for a moment - sure it wasn't the greatest feeling in the world and it felt like her insides had been burning, but it's not like she didn't agree to it, it was her idea to have sex. Shrugging, she responds, "I wouldn't say that he raped me or nothing; _I_ was the one who intiated the sex. But he was very rough with me - he kind of held me down to the bed, so that I couldn't really move. Not at all what I imagined my first time would be like." The cheerfulness that was in her eyes just minutes ago had now been long gone.

Shaking her head, Nicky has to grit her teeth to stop the rage she felt from taking over. Leave it to Lorna to down-play a rape attempt. Sighing in frustration, she looks down into her friend's eyes with a slight sternness, "He held you down? And because he held you down, you weren't able to get up even if you changed your mind?" When she sees the other nod her head, she grits her teeth harder. "That sounds to me like Jordan raped you. Why else would he try to make sure that there was no way for you to leave?! He wanted to have sex, whether you did or not, so he would do whatever it took to get you to stay there. Okay, how about this - when it started to hurt, did you ask him to stop?" The tears in Lorna's eyes and how she refuses to look at Nicky, she can guess what her answer is. Empathy takes over as she lifts the brunette's chin so that they are peering directly into each other's eyes. She kisses her head gently, "Why - why would you let him hurt you, kid? Why would you allow him to do whatever the fuck he felt like doing to you?! You can't seriously tell me you were so loyal to your friends that you would let yourself get taken advantage of!?"

"I don't know," the brunette says, her voice small as she bows her head in shame. "I figured that's what I was supposed to do. I mean it's not like my parents ever talked to me about sex - they refused to bring up such an un-pure topic. I couldn't disappoint my friends, I couldn't afford to lose them; I seriously had no one else. I'd have rather had terrible friends than no friends at all."

Nicky can feel her heart shattering at the thought of Lorna enduring a traumatic amount of pain just to stay friends with people who obviously didn't deserve her friendship. How could any friend make another do something that they really aren't ready for or want to do? That only angers her, wishing that she could find these friends of hers and knock them into next week - and what she'd do to that Jordan punk, she'd knock him into hell. "Oh Lorna - sweet, naive, innocent Lorna, I don't care how you look at it - you were fucking raped. You were taken advantage of, kid. He hurt you and wouldn't let you leave, regardless of if you asked him to, and that is absolutely wrong. And your father - I can't say anything about your mother since I don't know her - he's a complete moron. He should have talked to you about sex, educated you so that you would know what this fucking Jordan did is not how sex is supposed to feel! Sex should never hurt or be uncomfortable - I mean unless it's with a person you're not attracted to. I've had uncomfortable sex plenty of times, but never painful. If it's painful, you need to stop - you should have stopped him." She speaks firmly, stroking a hand through the brunette's now messed up hair. The tears that run down Lorna's rosy cheeks, it makes her heart ache; she gently wipes them away with her thumb, "You're too sweet of person to speak up for yourself, kid. You didn't deserve to be taken advantage of the way he did to you - and you had better not think that you did. You're a beautiful and loving woman, Lorna, you deserve to be treated with gentle and kind hands. You deserve to be loved," she kisses her cheek, staring softly into her eyes.

Lorna shakes her head, tears soaking her face as she peers up at the readhead. "Who's gonna love someone like me? I'm nothin' but a damn fucked-up crazy person."

Feeling her own eyes tear up at the fact that Lorna would think that no one would love her, Nicky cupped her head in her hands and kisses her warmly on the lips. She strokes her cheek tenderly, "I love you, Lorna - you are a beautiful, sweet, precious woman. Please don't call yourself fucked up, you're not - you're the most beautiful person I've ever met." She runs a hand gently across her jawline, pressing a loving kiss to her lips. "I will never think of you as fucked up or anything even close to that. You are an innocent woman with such a big heart, you just need to be loved. You need someone to love you, kid - truly and unconditionally love you. And I need to love someone, which I believe is you. You have a special place in my heart - you have since I found you - and I want to take care of you, I want to protect you from whatever hurts you. I really do love you, baby. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, believe me." Nicky gives her another soft peck on the lips before gently laying Lorna's head back onto her chest. The two lay like that for hours until they finally drifted into a peaceful slumber.


	8. Chapter 8

Lorna awakens the next morning with a throbbing headache and a sudden urge to run to the bathroom. She's never felt such a strong, immobilizing headache before and realizes that she should have taken Nicky's advice - she shouldn't have gulped down those two glasses of wine in under an hour. Once she feels less queasy, she grabs a couple Tylenol and washes it down with some water. She hopes that will cure the hangover she's enduring.

As she opens the bathroom door to leave, she sees Lilly standing there - looking as pale as ever - and gives a worried look to her. "You don't look too good. Are you all right, Lilly?" Lorna asks, her tone full of concern. After the way she took off yesterday, she and Nicky both worried that something was wrong. And the brunette figured if there _was_ something going on with Lilly, she probably wouldn't say anything to Nicky, so she hoped - talking to a friend rather than a sibling - that she would be able to find out what it was.

Putting on a weak smile, Lilly nodded. She wasn't ready to discuss what she found out about the day before. Her sister would probably encourage her to get rid of the baby - what kind of life would a baby like that have? - and Lilly's not sure that's what she wants to do. Yes, she hates that her father will also be the father of her baby, but it's a baby nonetheless and shouldn't be treated any different.

Lorna can see right through the smile, sighing, while gently placing a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "You're not okay, Lilly. You've been running to the bathroom off and on all morning yesterday and your emotions seem to be a bit on the edgy side. One minute you were happy, another you were crying your eyes out, and then you were angry as hell. Reminds me of when my older sister was pregnant. Is there any chance that you're pregnant?" She carefully asks, hoping to get an honest answer from her.

Immediately tears well up in Lilly's eyes as she shamefully nods her head. She hates to admit that she's carrying a baby - a baby that was forcefully created by her own father. "I-I took-took three pregnancy tests on my way to Miley's yesterday. And - And each one came up pos-positive," her voice barely above a whisper, "I - I'm preg-pregnant...with my own father's child. Th-this baby won't just be my baby - but it'll also be my sibling. That-That's sick. How can someone be pregnant with their own sibling?!" More tears stream down her pale cheeks - she wishes so badly that she could go back in time and not have made the decision to go back to that house. "Please - Please don't mention this to Nicky - I know you two are really close and everything, but I can't have her find out. She'll try to talk me into having an abortion or giving it up for adoption - and I can't do either."

"Oh Lilly, sweetie, I don't think Nicky would ever make you do something that you don't agree with," The brunette gently says, her eyes full of the outmost sympathy for her. She pulls Lilly into a soothing embrace, rubbing her back. Lorna can't even imagine how hard this is for the young woman, to have to go through such an awful rape - by her own father - and then find out she's pregnant with his child. "I'm so sorry you have to deal with something so terrible, Lilly. It must be very painful knowing that you're carrying your own father's baby inside of you. That's just absolutely sick what he did to you. And I know you don't want Nicky to find out, but she's your older sister - you can't hide something like this from her, sweetie. She needs to know," she strokes her hair softly, staring sadly into her eyes.

Before Lilly can even respond, Nicky comes out of her room and walks over to them, her face scrunched up with concern. She looks between the two, worried at what the problem may be. The tears in Lilly's eyes is enough for her to realize that there is most certainly something serious going on with her. "Tell me what the hell's going on, Lilly, right fucking now! Why the fuck are you acting so strange lately, huh? You've been throwing up a little too often, and you're moody as hell - What is going on with you, kid?!"

The blonde can't even muster up enough courage to open her mouth, all that comes out is more cries. Her head tilts down in shame of herself - she feels absolutely disgusted with herself. Lorna, who still has her in an embrace, gives her head a comforting pat and looks over at Nicky, "Calm voice, Nicky - She doesn't feel well and loud sounds make the nausea even worse for her." She gently peers into Lilly's eyes, silently affirming her that she's telling her sister about the issue. "The reason her stomach is so queasy, and why she's very emotional lately is because she's pregnant. She took a few different tests yesterday and they all confirmed it."

Nicky's demeanor instantly softens and her eyes fill with deep empathy as she gently takes her sister from Lorna, holding her protectively in her own arms. She kisses the top of her head soothingly, rubbing her back in soft circles. "I'm so sorry, Lil. You don't deserve to go through this, you really fucking don't," she strokes her hair gently, looking softly into her blue eyes, "Why don't you go lay down and rest, okay? You don't look well, baby. We'll talk about this later, after you get some rest and feel a little more yourself." Giving her a gentle squeeze and motherly kiss on the forehead, she says, "Love you, Lil - I promise everything will be okay. Whatever decisions you make, Lorna and I will be here for you."

* * *

Thirty minutes pass by as Lorna and Nicky sit in the living room to talk. The brunette, holding a cup of coffee in her hand, looks over at Nicky. She wonders what her thoughts are from all the information they just received from her sister. "What do you think of all this? Of your younger sister's being pregnant with her own father's baby? That's just so horrible, it must be such a terrifying thing for Lilly to go through," she quietly asks, staring curiously into her friend's big brown eyes.

Nicky frowns, not at all pleased to know that her sister is pregnant and the baby will also fathered by the same man as her. In fact, it's a good thing Paolo's in prison now, or else she would find him and murder him. She would grab him by the neck, throw him violently to the floor and viciously stab him until his body went limp. "I'll just say that he oughta be thankful he's in prison, where I can't kill him. Sick fucking bastard - he's always finding ways to make my sister suffer. And now she's gonna be stuck with the memories of what he did to her for the rest of her life! That's all this baby will be - a reminder of the constant torture and torment she's been put through. Lilly better not think that she has to keep the baby, all that will do is cause her more pain. I can't stand to see her go through anymore heartache," The redhead grabs the remote - that was lying beside her on the couch - and angrily throws it at the wall.

The petite woman gives her an empathetic look, reaching over to grab one of her hands. She lightly brushes over Nicky's knuckles with her thumb. "I'm so sorry, for both you and Lilly," Lorna's voice small, but gentle enough to send a sense of calming to the other woman. She continues the soothing motion on her friend's hand while peering up at her, "I was talking to Lilly before you came outta your room. And although she hates that the baby is also her father's, she said she wouldn't be able to give it up. She wants to keep it, and was desperate for me not to tell you. She thought you would be insistent on getting rid of the baby, but I reassured her that you would do no such thing - she's your sister and you love her. You wouldn't make her do something she doesn't want to do."

Anger dissolves into sadness as Nicky realizes what she said about Lilly's baby. She lets out a sigh, pulling Lorna into her arms for a much needed embrace. Her lips warmly press against the smaller woman's forehead, looking lovingly into her eyes, "Thank you for lookin' out for my sister, kid. That's very sweet of you. And of course, I would never make her do anything that she wouldn't be okay with. If she wants to keep this baby and raise it, then she's an even stronger person than I thought. I just don't want her to feel that she has to do this on her own - whatever she chooses to do, I hope she knows that I'll be here to help her. I mean I'm not really into babies, or _kids_ for that matter, but if she does choose to have this baby I will do whatever I can to help her with it."

* * *

Miley was busy getting ready, for work, in the bathroom doing her make-up and straightening her long curls of hair. Having her long-time best friend live with her has been quite nice - it's not so lonely anymore being away from home and plus, Suzanne has helped her get through the loss of her beloved horse. When she's finally finished, she walks into the living room and sits on the couch.

"Miles, you know if ya'll are hiring? I need a job, and it'd be really awesome to work with you!" Suzanne, who was lying upside down on the recliner, asked with a grin. She knew in order for her to live with Miley - and in an expensive state such as New York - she would need to get some sort of job, so why not get one where her best friend works? She pulls herself up, and back down again - in the midst of doing her daily crunches.

The brunette let out a laugh; her friend was something else. "You can come with me and ask, I don't know for sure if we need anyone," she replies, looking at Suzanne with a playful shake of her head, "What exactly are you doing, Suz? Are you trying to rush all the blood to your head?" Ever since they were children, the darker woman was a ball of energy just waiting to implode.

Chuckling, Suzanne turns her head to look over at Miley. Her grin grows wider as she nods her head; it would be interesting to go to a bar, even if she doesn't end up getting a job there. Back in their home state, they lived out in the middle of nowhere so the closest bar was at least an hour away. "I will most definitely come! And no, this is my daily ritual. I'm doing my crunches and found that this is the best way to do them," she says with a laugh, and once she finally finishes her exercises, she sits right-side up.

Miley couldn't help but roll her eyes in a friendly manner, but smiled back at her. She then proceeded to get up and gather her things that she needed for work. Fifteen minutes later, she stood in front of her apartment entrance as she stare at Suzanne, "Well it's time we get going, my shift starts in about thirty minutes. I guess you can just sit and talk with random people all night - you're quite the entertainer, Suz."

* * *

Halfway through her shift, Nicky's busy cleaning tables when she sees Miley come in the door along with a dark-skinned woman that she doesn't recognize. She stares over at them while scrubbing a table top that seems to not want to come clean. They come over to her, once the chestnut-haired woman is clocked in, and she notices how big and dark this unfamiliar woman's eyes are. "I didn't know it was bring your friend to work day," Nicky jokes, a playful smirk on her face.

Suzanne gives her a long stare, as if it to look into her soul, and Miley slaps a friendly hand on her shoulder to get her stop. "This is my friend from back home, Suzanne. She's desperate for a job, so I told her she could come to work with me and see if we're hiring. Do you know if we are, Nicky?" She gently asks, hoping her coworker isn't turned off by the dark woman's hardcore stares. Her friend can be quite intense when it comes to strangers - that is until she gets to know them better, then all she does is talk, talk, talk.

Shrugging, Nicky begins to wipe down the chairs, "Beats me, I don't know a thing that goes on here. All I know is that I come here, I work, talk to you, and go home." The redhead chuckles, looking over at the other two. She can't imagine that Miley's friend would do well working at a bar, but then again it could be interesting. She'd have another person to talk the hours away with and make her shift less dreary.

Once Miley leaves to start on what she's assigned to do for the evening, Suzanne is left on her own. She's still standing near the table that Nicky's cleaning, and watches her closely. "Lilly's your sister, I met her the other day," the black-haired woman finally speaks up, a smile on her face, "Very nice, she seems. Well actually, Miley didn't tell me she was coming over - so when I heard a knock and saw this blonde lady standing in the doorway, I automatically assumed she was a drug dealer! But Miles reassured me that she's not and I like Lilly, she seems to be a good friend to her. And you're her coworker, Nicky, she told me. How long have ya'll been workin' together?" Her huge eyes peer over at the redhead, interested to hear about her.

"Lilly's a very sweet girl and would never go anywhere near drugs, let alone sell them," Nicky responded, her voice a little rough. How could anyone ever think of her younger sister as a drug dealer? Shaking her head, she tried to wipe away the anger, knowing that this woman hadn't known any better - she's from Tennessee for heaven's sake, of course she would assume a total stranger, in New York City, to be a drug dealer. "Well I believe it's been two years now since Miley started here, she's great to work with. Always talking about what it's like back in good ole' Tennessee."

* * *

Lorna and Lilly are sitting on the couch watching television, when a loud persistent knock is heard. The blonde gets up and walks over to the door - wondering who on earth it could be - and carefully opens it. A tall man, in a sweater and his light brown hair neatly styled, walks in, grabbing her by the neck and squeezing it harshly. Coughing and sputtering, Lilly tries to push him off of her - she's never even met this man before, what reason could he possibly have to kill her? How did he even find the apartment? "P-Please s-s-stop it, I-I do-don't even kn-kn-know yo-you," she can hardly talk or breathe, tears pour out of her eyes, "Y-y-you-you're g-gonna hu-hurt m-my b-b-baby!"

When Lorna quickly rushes over to get him off of Lilly, he lets go instantly. He hadn't noticed that the woman he was strangling wasn't even the right woman. The brunette gently strokes Lilly's back, but looks up at the man in fear, "W-w-what are you doing here, Christopher? How did you know where to find me?" Her voice cracking as the urge to cry washes over her, she can't remember giving him the address or anything nor had she contacted him in the past month.

Christopher shakes his head in disbelief, sick of the games that Lorna keeps playing. All she's done is made his a life a living hell the past couple of years. "Don't fuckin' play around, Lorna! You know you've been texting me nonstop the past few weeks! Begging me to come see you, you're the idiot who gave me the address! Can you get any more psycho? I warned you that if you didn't leave me alone, I'd come find you and kill you. That's the only reason I came here," He growls, taking a step closer and harshly grabbing her neck.

"Stop it," Lilly screams out, watching horrifically, "Leave Lorna alone, she hasn't done anything to you! I'll call the police if you try to strangle her." She starts to take out her phone, her hands terribly shaky, but Lorna gives her a pleading look as she violently shakes her head. Her blue eyes fill with fear and worry, wondering what could possibly be going between the two older adults. Did Lorna call him Christopher? She wonders, and her eyes grow wider - this is the man that she's always gone on about during their lunch breaks, and apparently their relationship was not as nice as Lorna made it out to be.

Glaring over at the blonde, he reaches into his jeans' pocket and takes out a small gun. He holds it over Lorna's head, who he has tucked roughly under his other arm. "Go ahead, call them. But if you do, I'll shoot Lorna. So it's your choice whether or not her life ends today," Christopher says matter-of-factly, smirking at how frightened Lilly seems to be. "You're just as helpless as Lorna is, aren't you? What a shame that is - neither of you are able to do anything about this. Two frail women and one tough man with a gun - who also happens to have a black belt in karate. And if you got a baby in there, you definitely shouldn't be putting up a fight with someone who can easily kill you and that innocent, _precious_ baby. Don't want to do anything to injure it, right?"

Lilly, who's only as tall as Lorna, shakily walks over to where they're standing. She needs to find a way to stop this man from hurting her friend and her sister's _best_ friend. Determined, she carefully and quietly goes into the kitchen to get a knife, places it her pocket, and walks back behind Christopher. She cautiously lifts the knife from her pocket, and slowly brings it to lightly touch the man's back. Unfortunately he feels it and jerks away roughly, making Lilly fall to the ground - hitting her head violently on the hard-wood floor which knocks her unconscious.

The brunette can't believe what just happened and feels tears well up in her eyes. She lifts one of her legs, swinging it backwards so it harshly kicks Christopher in the most unpleasant spot possible. He yelps, falling to the ground himself, almost on top of Lilly but she pushes him away before he can. She timidly walks over to the blonde's unconscious body, sitting beside her as she tries to wake her. Panicked and scared, she grabs her phone to dial Nicky's number. When the redhead finally picks up, after an agonizing ten rings, she completely loses it, "N-Nicky! You-you n-n-need to get ho-home r-right-right now! S-s-something-something t-t-terrible has-has-has hap-happened!" Her voice is higher than usual and hard to understand as it breaks through sobs. She shakily holds Lilly's head in her hands, which she now notices has blood pouring out.

"Lorna, Lorna, you've gotta calm down. I can hardly hear what you're saying," Nicky soothes, worried what could possibly be happening back at her apartment. "Take a deep breath and tell me what's going on, okay? Are you having hallucinations again?" She hates the sound of Lorna's crying, it breaks her heart to hear that.

Lorna feels herself start to gasp for air, looking down at the substantial amount of blood that lay where Lilly's head was, and tries to keep her voice done. "P-p-please c-come home, Ni-Nicky. C-christopher - he's here and Lil-Lilly - she tried to sto-stop him b-but he kn-knocked her d-down and-and her head is bl-bleeding and - and she won't-won't wake up! You-you need to come before-before he-he kills us." Sobs won't stop coming as she sit there, cradling her best friend's sister's head in her arms. This is all her fault, the voices tell her, she should have left Christopher alone and none of this would have happened.

Rage fills Nicky's body as she hears that, she quickly runs out of the bar - not caring that her shift isn't over for another hour - and jogs to her car. She keeps the phone to her ear, "Shh, I'm on my way home now. It's gonna be okay, kid. Neither of you are going to die today, just try to stay calm. I'll be there very soon. Can you get a towel to hold on Lilly's head? That will stop her from losing too much blood. You need to call 911, Lorna, she's gonna need to go to the hospital. And Christopher needs to go to jail for breaking into the apartment and for trying to kill the two of you. You think you can do that, sweetie?" She continues to hold the phone to her ear as she starts speeding down the road, not wanting Lorna to sit there terrified and alone next to her younger sister's unconscious body. "Five more minutes, kid - I'll be there in five minutes. Lorna, I know you're scared, but can you check to see if Lilly's breathing? ...She is? Good, that's good. Just keep holding the towel to her head, I'll be there real soon and hopefully the ambulance will be too. I love you so much, baby, and you are so brave for taking care of Lilly. Keep yourself calm, just until I get there. Don't think about what's going on, think about something that makes you feel at peace."

* * *

As soon as Nicky reaches her apartment, she sprints up the stairs and into the living room. The paramedics are already there lifting her sister out of Lorna's shaky arms and onto a stretcher. She hurries to Lilly's side, tears in her eyes as she sees how frail her baby sister is. She strokes her forehead lovingly, kissing her head while whispering, "You're gonna be okay, Lilly. The doctors will take good care of you, kid. I love you very much, baby." Sadly watching them wheel her away, she sighs and searches for where Lorna went.

Crouched in the corner of the room, shaking with sobs, Lorna tries to quiet the voices in her head. They won't stop taunting her, making sure she knows that everything that happened is her fault and she deserves no sympathy. Her hands are tightly covering her ears, her eyes squeezed shut, and her body rhythmically rocking back and forth as she cries. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she whispers over and over to no one in particular.

Nicky follows the sound of her cries and immediately scoots down beside her, wrapping her in her arms. She gently places Lorna's head onto her chest, rubbing soothing circles around her back. "I'm here now, Lorna. It's all okay, go ahead and cry," she softly says, kissing her head comfortingly. "Shh, I've got ya kid. None of this is your fault, so don't you dare even feel that way. You didn't do a thing wrong, Lorna. Christopher is just a fucking asshole and I'm glad he's in jail for the night. Oh God, are those marks on your neck from him trying to strangle you?! We better get you to the hospital too, you need to be looked at - he could have damaged your throat or something!" She stands up, cradling the smaller woman in her arms, and nearly runs to her car.

"It-It is my fault," Lorna cries, bewilderedly looking up at the soft eyes staring down at her, "Chris-Christopher told me that I had been texting him and-and that I gave him this address. I-I did this...I'm the reason your sister's hurt and unconscious in the hospital. This is all- _all_ my fault! I'm so, so sorry, Nicky, so sorry! I'm sorry, really, really sorry," tears stream down her cheeks as she bow her head down. She can hardly recognize herself anymore - she only gets worse and with that harms more and more people.

Before opening the car door, the redhead stands there holding her distraught best friend as close as she can. She hates that she would even think to blame herself for any of what happened. With a sad sigh, Nicky gently lifts Lorna's chin to stare softly into her brown eyes, "You're not the one who broke into an apartment and tried to kill a sweet woman with a serious mental condition - no, that was fucking Christopher. This is his fault; he's the one who hurt Lilly and the one who almost fucking murdered you! So don't you fucking dare tell me any of it is because of you - that's a bunch of bullshit. Even if you were texting him, that does not give him the right to come here and lay any of his filthy fingers on your neck." Her lips lovingly brush over the brunette's forehead; she gives her another gentle squeeze before finally helping her into the car. She looks warmly down at her, "You saved my sister from bleeding to death, kid. You should focus on the positive things that you've done. You mean even more to me for how brave you were trying to taking care of her, especially because I know how terrifying it probably was for you to witness that. You're so much stronger than you make yourself out to be, baby."

* * *

An hour after arriving at the hospital, Lorna had been forced into a gown and to lie on a gurney while she wait for a doctor to see her. Unfortunately they wouldn't allow Nicky to stay with neither her nor even her own sister. Left alone, Lorna couldn't handle the voices in her head - they kept getting louder and louder, and there was no way for her to drown them out. _I told you I was going to come for you, and I kept that promise._ She squeezes her eyes shut and tries to ignore them. _Can't handle the real world, can you Lorna? Maybe you should let one of us do that. You wonder how Christopher received a text from you? That was me, I came out while you were sleeping and took your phone. I know you still love him so I did exactly what you would do and sent him a text - telling him he better come over before you decide to hurt his precious Angela again._ Tears run down her face as she listens to the voice; how could any of that even be true? How could something like that happen? Shaking, terrified, and disoriented, Lorna jumps down from the bed and darts to the waiting room where the redhead sits restlessly.

Concerned and very worried, Nicky rushes to her and pulls her into a tight embrace. She holds her close, peering uneasily down at the small woman. "What's the matter, kid? Are you okay? Did you see the doctor yet?" Seeing how wide and fearful Lorna's eyes are her concern only grows. She doubts that a doctor has been to see her yet, the ER happens to be its busiest tonight. "Shh, I've got you now. Tell me what's going on sweetie," she soothes, running a hand through her brown hair.

Lorna wraps her arms tightly around Nicky's neck, not wanting to be away from her again. She knows if she's forced to be alone, the voices will continue to bother her. "There-there are people liv-living inside my head, Nicky, they're trying to take control of my body! One of them took my phone while I was sleeping and was the one to send texts to Christopher - it said if he didn't come over then I would hurt Angela...But-but I never sent a thing to him, you-you erased his number and I forgot it! I'm even crazier, aren't I? I am so, so fucking crazy!" She cries, outraged with herself for becoming the person she has.

"Oh Lorna, baby, you're not crazy! You're suffering with a mental condition, that's all," Nicky softly says, pulling her closer and kissing the top her head, "That's another good reason to be here, so that we can find out what's going on with your mind. Hopefully they can put you on some sort of treatment, something that will stop these voices from scaring you. No one in there is taking over your body; they're just saying that to hurt you. Now you need to calm down and go back to the room before they notice you're gone. You'll be okay, kid."

Instead of getting up, Lorna holds onto her tighter as she shakes her head violently. She knows that would only cause her more taunting from the voices in her head. More tears come out of her eyes as she bury her face in the crook of Nicky's neck, the only person who's able to ward off the craziness of her mind. "I won't be okay, not without you. When I'm by myself, there's nothing for me to drown out the voices with. That's why I ran out here to see you - because they only got louder when I was in there alone. And I can't handle them anymore, it's too much Nicky, it's just way too much!" She clings to the taller woman as if her life depends on it.

That only makes Nicky's heart ache - it pains her to see how much her best friend, the woman she loves deeply, hurting so much. Sighing, she sits back down as she holds the brunette protectively in her arms, stroking her hair to soothe her, "Shh, Shh. I won't leave you, kid. I promise." She whispers lovingly into her ear, gently rocking back and forth while holding her tight. "I'm right here, my sweet Lorna, I will never leave you. Why don't you close your eyes and try to get some sleep? Maybe you'll feel better after a little rest," Nicky lovingly lays Lorna's head onto her chest, caressing her cheeks with her thumb and pressing a kiss down to her forehead. "Everything will be okay, kid - with you and with Lilly. You're both such strong woman and I know you can survive anything. I love you, baby; sleep well."

aby; sleep well."


	9. Chapter 9

Nicky, who'd spent the night on a chair in the hospital waiting room, awoke to someone calling her name. Quickly her eyes flickered open and she stood from her seat, coming face to face with a man in blue scrubs and white coat, presumably a doctor. Worry washed over her as she stare up at him - was he here about Lilly or Lorna? She hadn't heard anything about her sister since they brought her there, and as for Lorna, she had to carry her back to the room once she fell asleep. Then the nurses refused to let them see each other for the rest of night. So most of the last several hours all Nicky's done is worry about the two most important people in her life.

The doctor gives her a long stare before squinting back down at the clipboard in his hand. "Are you the sister of Lillian Truscott?" When he receives a nod, and a harsh _'her name is Lilly'_ as a response, he continues to speak, "Well I've got good news, and not so good news. The good news is that she's still pregnant - no harm done to the baby. The not so good news is that the fall to her head caused her brain to swell, which means we have to keep her in an induced coma in order to get the swelling to go down. And that also means she could have complications when she comes out of the coma."

Hearing such information causes a bout of anger to boil within Nicky. How could a fall cause so much damage? She loathes Christopher even more for not only hurting her best friend but for also causing her sister to suffer through more pain than what she's already dealing with. "The fuck kinds of complications are you talkin' about? You doctors better do your damn jobs and make sure that my baby sister does not have any life-long problems from this! I swear to God that if she suffers because of the fucking 'induced coma' you fuck-wads put her in, I'll sue you for all your worth!" She stares darkly up at the doctor, making sure he knows just how serious she is.

Clearing his throat while nodding down at the chart, he scribbles something on it. "She should be fine when she wakes up, aside from very minor complications - those will only be temporary. And we will do what we can to make sure that she's in the least amount of pain as possible. For now, she will stay in the ICU under constant supervision and monitoring. And until we can move her from there, you will not be permitted to visit her. I will have one of the nurses inform you when you are finally able to see your sister." As he's about to leave, the redhead stops him by pulling on the white sleeve of his coat.

"And what about my friend Lorna Morello? Do you know anything about her?" Nicky nearly shouts the questions; she's too worried about what the petite woman is going through - she wasn't in the best shape last night. "The fucking nurses took her away and haven't told me anything about where she is or how she's doing! You're a doctor; you oughta know something about what's going on with her! I _need_ to fucking know - she's very unstable and needs someone who cares about her to be by her side," she barks at the man, not backing down until she gets information on Lorna.

Looking back over at the feisty woman, he gives a shrug but flips through the papers on his clipboard to see if the name is written down anywhere. "She's not one of my patients, but I believe they've brought her to the psychiatric ward. I'd suggest you go to that wing of the hospital in order to find out what's happening with your friend. And if anything comes up with your sister I will have one of my nurses come find you." This time he quickly leaves without hearing her response - he doesn't want to have to listen to the continuous foul language that erupts every time she speaks.

* * *

The psychiatric wing of the hospital brings a creepy sensation to Nicky. Loud screaming and sobbing can be heard throughout the hallway. There's even a few patients running around her, as she walks to the nurses station, yelling out obscenities. To think that Lorna is down here, instantly it makes her sick. She couldn't imagine how the woman - who she loves quite a bit - is coping in such an environment. Nicky couldn't cope well here, and she's as level-headed as they come. _Lorna, oh Lorna,_ she silently says with a sad shake of her head.

When she finally arrives at a huge desk, she stands there and waits for someone to acknowledge her. A nurse, who'd been busy blabbing away to another one, turns to her and gives her an annoyed stare - as if to say ' _I don't have time for your problems, so you better make it quick'_. "I'm looking for my friend, Lorna Morello. I was told by a doctor that she's somewhere here in the psychiatric ward. Can you tell me where _exactly_ I can find her?" Nicky curtly asks her voice raw with irritation.

Both the nurse who'd been staring at her, and the one who she'd been chatting with, let out a small chuckle each. She nods her head, looking down at the room assignments, "Oh the little brown-haired kid? With that bright red lipstick on? Quite a rebellious child that girl is! Almost kicked her doctor - they had to tie her down and sedate her!" She laughed again, along with her friend, and wrote down the room number before handing it over to the now fuming redhead. "Go down the hall, make a right, and her room will be the first one on the left! Watch out, she might try to kick you next."

Gritting her teeth in rage, Nicky glares at the two laughing nurses, "First of all Lorna is not a little girl! She's twenty-six years old, and a very sweet woman. Second of all, you shouldn't be fucking laughing at someone who's suffering with a severe mental condition! The fucking hell's wrong with you two? For fuck's sake your _nurses_ , this _is_ your _job_! I'll definitely be complaining to whoever's in charge of you two fucking shitheads. You better stay the hell away from my friend - I swear to fucking God you better not go anywhere near her or her room, I don't want two morons taking care of her." She growls at them, flipping them her middle finger as she hurriedly rushes off to find Lorna's room. To hear that they felt the need to restrain and medicate her best friend brought an unimaginable amount of anger to her. This is a hospital with _supposedly_ well-educated and trained doctors - they should easily be able to handle patients of all types without having to medicate them.

Once Nicky arrives at the room that she was told is her friend's, she quietly opens the door and walks in. Her heart aches as she sees Lorna lying in the hospital bed with her legs tied to both sides. She walks closer to her, looking down at her face and notices the tear stains on her cheeks, the fading of her red lipstick, and the red marks all over her arms. "Oh Lorna," the redhead softly says, bending down to kiss her forehead. She runs her thumb tenderly across her cheek, hating to see what's happened to her friend.

Brown eyes slowly peep out of their lids, "Nn-Nicky? Is that - Is that you?" Lorna's voice tiredly calls out, she sounds as if someone had taken out her vocal chords, played around with them, and put them back in without fixing them. She turns her head to where Nicky is, and peers up at her - her dark eyes clearly full of a deep drowsiness; most likely from the medication she was given. "How - How's your sister? Is - Is she okay?"

"She's gonna be just fine, kid, and apparently so is the baby," Nicky replies, softly looking down at the brunette. She strokes her hair lovingly, while taking a hold of one of her hands. "What about you? How ya feelin', kid? You look really out of it...What the fuck did these doctors do to you?!" She tries not to get too loud; she doesn't want to scare the broken woman who lay in the bed, but the sight of how frail and helpless she is really infuriates her.

Lorna shrugs, she can't even remember where she is let alone what could have been done to her. "I feel like I've drunk too much wine or something - I can barely see straight, I mean it seems like there's two of everything. And I'm just so exhausted, I could sleep for days. Are we at home, Nicky? I don't exactly know," she hoarsely says, tired eyes staring up at the redhead. The last thing she remembers is running out to the waiting room - everything after that is a blur.

Hearing that only makes Nicky feel worse for her friend. She gently reaches down to cradle the brunette's head in her hands, tenderly caressing her cheeks. "We're not at home, kid - you're in the hospital. Did they give you some sort of medication? The shithead nurses out in the lobby told me that they had to sedate you because you kicked the doctor, is that true?" She presses a soft kiss to the top of her head, continuing to cradle it lovingly in her hands.

The feeling of Nicky's touch brings comfort to Lorna, along with a sense of safety. No more voices trying to make her crazy or rude doctors trying to stick her with needles - not with her best friend there. She peers up at the gentle eyes watching her and shamefully nods her head, "I-I thought - I thought he was Christopher...And then he-he stuck a needle in my arm, a few nurses threw me onto the bed and - and then they -" Tears well up in her eyes as she whispers in an almost an inaudible voice, "They held me down and they, they tied me down and put-put a c-catheter in-in me...They told me that I'm not allowed to get up until I can prove to be nonviolent."

Nicky shakes her head angrily, carefully laying Lorna's head back onto the pillow and gently gets in beside her, wrapping her arms protectively around her tiny waist. She lovingly kisses her head, "What the fuck is wrong with these people? You're the least violent person there is - how dare they act like you're some sort of criminal! They have no fucking right to do this to ya, kid. And I won't let any of them touch you again - I swear I will call the police if they even try!" Her voice rough with anger towards the people who hurt her friend - the people who are supposed to be taking care of her and finding out what's causing her mind not to work as it should. Pulling the smaller woman closer, she gently runs a hand through her short wavy hair. "I'm here now, kid; and I'm not leaving you alone with these awful nurses again, I promise. Why don't you try to get some sleep? Sleep off this medicine they forced in you. I'll be right here the whole time, I don't care what the fucking doctor has to say about that - I refuse to let you handle any of this alone. And if that's a problem for anyone, too fucking bad. I love you and I'm helping you through this no matter what."

* * *

A couple of hours later Lorna awoke to the sound of hushed voices. She opened her eyes to look around and could see a doctor standing in the door way speaking quietly to Nicky, who seemed to be giving him an earful. She cupped each of her ears in an effort to try to hear what was being said, but couldn't make any of it out. And it's not like she could get up to go over to where they stood; they made sure to keep her legs tightly tied down so there was no way for her to move.

It seemed like ages before the two other adults realized that she was even awake. Nicky walked back over to her, bending down to lovingly kiss her forehead, while the doctor stood at the foot of the bed. He began to untie her legs as he stare down at her, "I will need to perform some tests on your brain to see if there's a reason for the mental issues you seem to be suffering with. After the answers you gave me last night, I have two conditions that I believe you may have. But I rather we rule out anything medically first."

Lorna can hardly stare at him; the only thing she remembers about him is receiving a sharp prick of the skin near her neck. If they had a conversation, that was long gone from her mind. She backs farther away on the bed, so far that she nearly hits her head against the wall. "Don't come near me," she says in a small voice, her eyes wide with fear. "Just tell me what's wrong with me and leave. I don't want my brain examined by some radioactive machine. I know it's nothing _medical_ \- I'm fucking _crazy_! I hear things, see things, and fucking make up my own stories and believe them to be true - it's all mental! I'm not a fucking idiot." Irritation clearly her tone as she glares up at her doctor - she just hopes to get out of here as soon as possible.

Standing right by her side, Nicky gently grabs her hand and squeezes it comfortingly in her own. The doctor shrugs as he looks from both women - one filled with rage, and the other simply tired of it all. "There's no need for you to be using such vulgar language, ma'am," he begins, his tone cold as ice, "All I'm doing is trying to help you." As he focuses his eyes on the information on the paper in his hands, Nicky sticks her middle finger up at him. He shakes his head while jotting down a few notes, then looks back up at the two of them. "It seems to me that you're suffering from a mixture of two different conditions. The first one is Fantasy Prone Personality, since you were busy explaining to me how you've always loved living in your own little made up world. The love you thought this Christopher persona had for you and that you two were planning a wedding - when obviously you know that wasn't even close to being true. You create fantasies to help you cope with things that you're uncomfortable with. And I also believe you suffer from Dissociation, which explains these 'voices' in your head. The 'voices' might actually be variations of your personality broken off into fragments, and some of them seem to be able to handle the harder, more painful, parts of your life. So in order to treat both conditions effectively, I'm going to prescribe that you meet with one of our therapists at least twice a week, and I'm also going to give you a medication that should help to relax you."

"Christopher isn't a persona, he's a _real_ person," Lorna angrily yells, glaring even harder at the doctor. "I'm not seeing a therapist or taking some fucking medicine that won't do anything but make me drowsy. What the fuck are either of those things gonna do to make me less crazy?! Fuck you and this hospital!" She grabs one of the pillows beneath her and harshly throws it across the room, missing his face by a half inch.

Nicky quickly scoops her into her arms, before the doctor can try to restrain her again, and softly lays Lorna's head against her chest in the hopes of calming away her anger. She kisses the top of her head while running a hand through her hair, "Gotta calm down, kid. I know how much you don't want to have to talk to some stupid ass therapist, especially as it will make you face reality, but it might help you. How about you go to one appointment, and if you really don't like it then we'll find some other way to treat this. Okay, does that sound like a good idea? And as for this medication, just because he's giving you a prescription doesn't mean you have to actually get it filled. He can't force you to do something you don't want to do." She lovingly whispers into her ear, rocking her softly in her arms while glaring over at the doctor. She can't stand the way he's treated her best friend - What right does he have to be angry over a few curse words, when he gave her a damn sedative shot and then had his helpers tie her to the bed?

* * *

Sitting in the hospital cafeteria, Nicky and Lorna silently drank their coffees. Nicky stared across at the brunette, worriedly studying her features for any signs of distress. The doctor still hadn't released her, wanting her to stay another night and meet with the on-call therapist the next morning. And she was still dazed from the sedation, so her eyes seem glassy as they stare over at the redhead. Even when Nicky waves her hand in front of them, she hardly budges. "Lorna, you okay? Why do you look so far away? Is it the medicine or are you hearing the voices again?" She asks, concern all throughout her face.

Hearing the other's voice quickly snaps Lorna out of her daze. She grabs her coffee and takes a sip, then looks back up at the taller woman. "Sorry, still feeling a bit odd...Whatever that doctor gave me, it's really strong." She replies, taking another gulp of her coffee. The taste of it is quite bold, and she hopes that it will bring her out of this drowsy-state that she can't seem to escape. She hates feeling this way, it makes her feel that she's wasting the day - all she wants to do is sleep. "Have you gone to see your sister yet, Nicky? Is she doing okay, what about the baby?" It doesn't register in her mind that she had already asked Nicky this, when she first came to see her.

"It seems to me that the idiot doctor gave you too much of this damn sedative, you can hardly keep your eyes open. It should have fuckin' wore off by now, kid! What kind of hospital is this? Do they just hire any moron off the street?" Nicky angrily yells, but regrets it as she notices how wide the brunette's have become. She gently reaches over to grab a hold of one of her hands and tenderly strokes it with her thumb. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell so loud - It's just this medicine isn't doing you any good, kid. It's making you too drowsy, and even forgetful. You asked about Lilly earlier, don't you remember? Well she's doing okay, they won't let me see her though. And fortunately everything is fine with the baby too."

Nodding her head slowly, Lorna gulps down the rest of her coffee. "Why won't they let you see her? She's your sister, for Christ's sake," She questions; confused that Nicky wouldn't be allowed to see her sister, especially if she's doing well. Maybe she wasn't doing that good, and the redhead was only saying that to stop her from worrying. That would be the only explanation that makes sense as to why she can't go visit her own sister. "I mean if she's okay, why wouldn't they allow you to visit her?" She hopes to get a straight answer out of her friend.

Nicky sighs, lifting the hand she held to her lips and brushed them gently over Lorna's knuckles. It warmed her heart to know how much her best friend cared for her baby sister. But she knew if she told her the truth about Lilly's condition then the petite woman across from her would only blame herself for it. "Look, kid - I'll tell you what's really going on, _if_ you promise me one thing - Do _not_ blame yourself for any of it, okay?" When she gets a not-so-convincing nod from Lorna, she continues, "They had to put Lilly in an induced coma, her brain is swollen from the fall - the fall that _Christopher_ caused, _not_ you. You didn't hurt Lilly, and she knows that. Right now they're keeping her in the ICU which means she's not allowed any visitors and that includes family. But the baby _really_ is fine, so there's that. And her doctor did assure me that she will wake up from this, she 'should' be okay. Whatever _minor complications_ she has afterwards 'should' only be _temporary_. We'll see about that, he's just trying to cover his ass. All these doctors are fucking bullshit liars; the only thing they care about is their fucking paycheck." She shakes her head with the roll of her eyes, then glances back at Lorna. She gives her a sad smile, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead, "How about we go for a walk? Maybe that will make you feel a little more yourself, kid. And you can get another coffee, which might help too." The redhead stands up from her chair, walking over to her friend and gently helps her up as well.

As she stands, Lorna feels even drowsier - her legs are too heavy to move, and she's so tired that she could just lie right there on the floor, curled up sleeping. She tries to ignore it though and forces her legs to walk, throwing her empty coffee cup into a trash can and following Nicky to get another. The coffee was pretty strong so maybe if she drank a few more, it would counteract the sedative that was still in her system.

After purchasing another round of coffees, Nicky gently hands one to the shorter woman and then proceeds to wrap her free arm around her waist, in order to steady her. "Where ya wanna walk to, kid? I mean this is a hospital, so there's gotta be some interesting things to look at," she gently kisses the top of her head as they start walking away from the cafeteria.

Lorna sips the coffee, devouring the bold taste, as she tiredly leans her head against the redhead's shoulder. She shrugs her shoulders, she's never really been in a hospital before - except for the few times her older brother broke his bones playing football. Without lifting her head, she stares up at Nicky with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe we could casually pass by the ICU and peek in at your sister? If we're quiet, no one will even notice." She suggests, sadly smiling up at her friend.

"Smart idea, kid," Nicky nods, pulling her a bit closer while pressing another kiss to her head. "Do you feel _any_ better, baby? You still look so exhausted...My poor Lorna." She peers softly into the other's tired brown eyes, caressing her cheek tenderly, "After we go check on my sister, I'm bringing you back to your room and having you rest for a while. You need to get this horrible medicine out of your system; it's doing more harm than good. The only reason they gave it to you was to make taking care of you easy for _them_. Fucking selfish ass doctors and nurses."

* * *

The two women walked for nearly a half hour before they finally came across a hallway that had a sign stating which way the ICU was. They slowly followed it, coming across a row of rooms that were only separated by curtains. Nicky eyes each one suspiciously as they continue the way down the hall, and finally notices a patient who resembles her sister. Quietly inching closer to it, she cautiously peaks her head in and realizes that the unconscious woman lying in the bed definitely is Lilly. To see her in such a state - tubes and wires, machines, all surrounding her - makes her look even frailer and brings a pain to Nicky's heart. "You poor thing, Lil. I'm so sorry you have to suffer even more, you don't fucking deserve to. Don't give up Lilly, you need to come out of this - you're the only sister I have and I can't lose you. Plus you're going to have a little baby to care for soon, so you have to be okay. I know you will be, you're such a strong person, baby. I love you so much, kid, and I wish I could stay a while longer with you but I'm not even allowed to be back here. So don't tell anyone, okay? Maybe I'll sneak another visit tomorrow. Right now I gotta get Lorna back to her room so she can get some rest herself. Bye Lilly, I'll see you again soon." She loathes that she can't run in the room and give her sister a hug, but she rather not get caught as then she probably wouldn't even be able to sneak a visit.

Silently leaving her sister's room, Nicky goes to get Lorna but notices that she's not there. Her heart begins to race as she furiously looks for the fragile brunette. She walks down the hall and she's not there, she goes the opposite direction and finally sees her - lying on the ground, sound asleep. Relief washes over her as she makes her way to the sleeping figure, bending down and scooping her into her arms. Kissing Lorna's forehead lovingly, she gently starts carrying her back to her room. "You really are exhausted, kid. How much of this sedation did they give you? Were they trying to kill you or something? Idiots is what this hospital is full of. Well don't you worry, Lorna, I will be with you for the rest of the time you're in here and nothing will be given to you without yours and my approval. And they will certainly not be tying you down ever again, over my dead body will that happen."

* * *

Finally back in Lorna's room, Nicky gently lays her back in the bed and kisses her forehead soothingly. She's about to go sit in the chair beside the bed when Lorna's eyes pop open and frantically look for her. She stares over at the redhead, her eyes wide with fear, "Ni-Nicky? Can you pl-please lay with me? You're the only one who can stop the voices from taunting me, even in my sleep."

Nicky's eyes go soft with compassion as she gently walk back over and gets in the bed beside her, immediately wrapping the smaller woman in her arms - she lovingly cups her head, brushing their lips together in a soothing kiss, and then gently lay it against her chest. "Course' I will, kid," Nicky softly says against her ear; she wraps the sheets around them and looks down at Lorna, "I'll always hold you, Lorna. Whatever makes you happy, I'll do for you. I love you so, so much and I want to do anything that I can to take care of you, baby. You're very special to me - you're the closest friend I have and I wouldn't trade that for anything." She rubs her back in comforting circles, smiling warmly at her.

Lorna tiredly smiles back, snuggling closer to her and grabbing one of her hands, squeezing it tight. "I love you too, Nicky - you've done so much for me; you saved my life for crying out loud. You're the best friend there is. And even now, when I'm even crazier than we thought I was - you're still here. Can't get a truer friend than you, huh? I love you so much, I will forever be grateful for having met you," she gently whispers back, her voice too tired to speak any louder. She cups her tiny hands around Nicky's cheeks, pressing a tender kiss to her lips.

Shaking her head, Nicky leans their foreheads gently together while giving her a gentle smile. She lovingly runs a hand through Lorna's short waves of hair, "You're not crazy, kid. You're unique, and the most intriguing woman I've ever met. I will never leave you, I promise you that." Nicky warmly presses her lips against the petite woman's temple in a tender kiss. She, too, will always be grateful for befriending such a woman. "I love you with all my fucking heart, Lorna; I'll never stop. I don't care what mental illnesses you have - that doesn't fucking define you. You are the sweetest and most beautiful woman in the world, and you have a very warm, loving heart," she speaks firmly, yet her eyes are filled with the outmost love, "Now it's time you get some sleep, sweetie. And hopefully this damn sedative will finally wear off so you can feel normal again. I'll hold you the whole time you sleep, that way those evil voices will leave my sweet, innocent Lorna alone." Nicky lovingly places Lorna's head back onto her chest, and strokes her hair over and over until the both of them finally drift into a peaceful slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

Nine-thirty the next morning had Lorna and Nicky sitting in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting for Lorna's appointment with the therapist. She loathed having to meet with one, she didn't enjoy talking about herself - let alone the many problems she had. Sitting beside Nicky, Lorna couldn't stop herself from fidgeting. Now that the sedative completely wore off, she felt a sudden burst of energy and that only made waiting much harder.

Watching how squirmy the brunette is in her seat has Nicky wrap a gentle arm around her shoulder. She lightly presses a kiss to the top of her head. "It won't be that bad, kid," she softly says, giving her an empathetic smile. Silently thinking to herself, she has no clue how the appointment will turn out for her best friend. She hopes it all goes well and the therapist is a half-decent person.

Lorna feels a bit more at ease having the redhead's arm around, but that soon fades as she sees a woman come out of an office and headed in their direction. The woman, dressed in a formal pink and black skirt-suit along with a white lab coat that stopped right above her knees, walked over to them - she had dark red hair, cut short and neatly cropping her face, along with a very stern demeanor. Lorna tugged on Nicky's arm, whispering into her ear, "If that's her, I'm not going. She looks really mean."

Before Nicky could even respond, the older woman stood in front of them and read over the information on the chart she'd been holding. "Is one of you Lorna Morello?" A deep voice, with a distinct Russian accent questioned, as she looked between the two girls sitting beside each other.

The tiny brunette slid further into the chair in the hopes of not being noticed by her. There was no way she would be telling this woman in front of her anything about her life. She seemed as though she'd be too tough on her, and Lorna did not do well in such predicaments. "Uh-uh, I might be Lorna Morello...You-you're not the therapist, are-are you?" Lorna finally says in a small voice, looking up at the older woman in fear.

"Well, actually, _I_ am the therapist, Doctor Reznikov," The dark-red haired woman says, lifting a hand to shake Lorna's with. She realizes how tense and fearful the petite young woman is, so she gives a friendly smile, "I promise I'm not as mean as I look. Why don't we head back to my office and get started? Your friend is welcome to join as well, if that would make you more comfortable."

Deep down, Lorna would more than anything love for Nicky to be with her, but then she would learn of all her problems and that's not something she was comfortable with sharing yet. "I guess that's fine...though I rather do it myself, don't want to make my friend suffer through a boring therapy session. You know?" She's not even looking at Nicky or the doctor; she aimlessly gets up from the chair and follows her therapist to her office.

* * *

When they arrive in Doctor Rezkinov's office, she has Lorna take a seat on the chair adjacent to her desk. Before seating herself, she went over to the beeping teapot that sit on the table across the room and poured some in a cup, then again in another. She carried them both back to her desk, taking a seat in her chair, and handed one of the cups to Lorna. She smiled, "See I'm not all that bad - don't let this face fool you. So why don't you tell me about yourself? You can start off with some easy information, like how old you are and where you live - to ease into the session."

Lorna timidly grabs the cup, inspects it wearily, and finally brings it to her lips for a small sip. She glances up at the older woman, still not so sure about her. "I'm twenty-six years old," her voice a bit shaky as she take another sip of the tea, which to her surprise has such a sweet taste. The tea seemed to bring a sensation of calming over her as she continue to speak, "Well I was living at home with my family, about five miles from the city...But now I'm living with my friend, Nicky. She's the best friend I've ever had, she's really helped me through a lot and I can never thank her enough." A small smile forms on her face when she mentions Nicky, and that doesn't go unnoticed by Mrs. Rezkinov, who is readily jotting everything she says down in a notebook.

"Is that right? How long have the two of you been friends?" The red-haired therapist questions, looking up from her notes to stare over at Lorna. She can tell that the brunette is starting to relax, and will possibly start to open up more.

Taking a sip of the warm beverage, Lorna's smile grows a bit at the question. "About three months now," she replies, surprised at how the time has flown by. It's already been three months she met her best friend, one of the most amazing people in the world. "It's actually ironic, I worked with her younger sister at a nursing home. We were friends and always had lunch together, for probably well over a year and I never met Nicky. But then one night, as if by fate, we meet on a bridge - in the middle of the night. Isn't it weird how life works sometimes?" She doesn't even realize how easily the information is slipping out of her mouth, all she can do is enjoy the delicious tea in front of her.

Doctor Rezkinov gives a concerned stare as she writes down more of what she's saying in the notebook. "You met on a bridge in the middle of the night?" When she sees the other nod, she grabs her cup of tea and sips it. She wonders what on earth the reason behind this is. "And exactly what were the two of you doing on a bridge so late?"

The brunette shakes her head, and instantly the smile disappears from her face. She refuses to discuss what happened that night; she's not ready to face the reality of it, especially not with a complete stranger. "My fiance, well I guess I can call him _ex_ -fiance now, Christopher...I miss him so much, he was the most loving man I ever met. We were dating for two years, and then he just - he stopped talking to me. And then a few days ago, he showed up at Nicky's apartment, where I'm staying now, and he-he wanted to kill me...I don't know why, but he did and started to strangle me but then Nicky's sister, Lilly, got a knife and was going to stab him - in order to stop him - but-but he dodged it and she hit her head on the floor. Now she's here, in the hospital, with a swollen brain. I don't understand why Christopher would - would do something like that... He used to be so kind, so gentle," she shakily says, looking anywhere but at the older woman. She can hear the voices starting to come back again, and squeezes her eyes shut to try to block them out. _Christopher hates you, Lorna. He was never your fiance, stop fucking lying about him! You crazy psycho._ She covers her ears as if to stop from listening, but they keep at it. _She doesn't care what you have to say, she's just doing her job - making her hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. She can careless about a worthless, mentally insane woman such as yourself._

The red-haired, Russian, therapist observes her closely while writing down each detail. "I'm sorry to hear that, Lorna. That's terrible to have go through that," she sincerely says, noticing how Lorna's eyes are tightly squeezed shut. She begins to wonder what's going on in her patient's mind - is she just upset thinking about what's happened or is there something deeper? "Why are you closing your eyes? Do you see things that you'd rather not?" She takes a sip of the tea, patiently waiting for a response.

_She doesn't want to hear what you have to say, Lorna. Keep your mouth shut._ The brunette angrily shakes her head, glaring darkly at Doctor Rezkinov. Maybe the voices are right - her therapist is only here because it's her job, she doesn't give a shit about Lorna or what she's gone through in life. "I'm done, I don't want to do this. You're not here to help me, you're just here to keep makin' that damn money! Fuck this," Lorna growls, quickly getting up and darting out of the room. _That's right - she don't want to help a crazy fuck-up like you. No one does; it's ashame that 'friend' of yours stopped you from jumping off the bridge. You would have done everyone a favor by ending your worthless life._ She feels angry tears come running down her cheeks as she fastens her pace, not even giving a glance to Nicky - who stared at her in deep concern and tried to grab her - while she continues to run past her.

Nicky worriedly walks over to the therapist, hoping she'll be able to explain why her best friend took off in such a way. She wonders what Lorna was forced to talk about - did she have to mention the fantasy she created of her and Christopher? That would definitely bring pain to the petite woman. "Is there a reason Lorna ran out of your office like that? What did you do to my friend?!" Her face red with anger and concern for the woman she loved.

Mrs. Reznikov stands in the doorway of her office, her expression full of the same worry as the redhead. There definitely was some serious things going on in her patient's head, and she would need a lot more than just therapy to help her cope. "It was not something that I did to your friend. She seems to have a lot going on and the therapy session must have overwhelmed her with everything she's gone through. I would suggest giving her some time to recollect herself before you go find her." She gives a stern stare over to Nicky, easily knowing that all she wants to do is run to wherever Lorna is. And that may not be the best idea right now.

"Letting Lorna have time to herself is the last thing she needs! Did she not mention that she almost fucking jumped off a bridge to kill herself?! What kind of therapist _are_ you?" She angrily shouts while shaking her head. But then as she continues to think, she figures that Lorna probably hadn't even brought that up - of course she wouldn't tell a complete stranger about such a dark topic.

Hearing that brings a bout of sympathy and understanding to the older woman's green eyes. "That would explain how she ended up meeting you on a bridge," she says, nodding her head, "She wouldn't tell me why the two of you were on a bridge in the middle of the night. What she did tell me is that her ex-fiance almost killed her by strangling her, and made your sister injure her head terribly bad. After that she got upset, told me 'I'm not here to help her, just for the money' - which I assure you is not true, I love my job and all of my patients - and ran the hell out of my office. There is something very serious going on with your friend, and it's certainly not going to be easy helping her cope with that. If you can have her come back this Friday at around 3:00 in the afternoon, that will be great. And if you feel that she needs to see me sooner, by all means bring her in. I'm here all day every day."

* * *

Lorna ran for as long as she could until she came across a deserted hallway, she slouch down on the floor and allow all the emotions she held in to finally come out. She couldn't stand herself anymore - the voices, the fantasies, the lies, she wasn't worthy of being alive. Her family was right to treat her the way that they had - she would never amount to anything other than a burden to society. Tears cloud her vision as she lean against the wall; she wishes so bad that she could start her life over, live normally like the rest of humanity did. She hated being the way she is - it made everyone avoid her; and those who stood by her, it hurt them.

_Are you having a pity party for yourself, little Lorna?_ A voice taunts her, making even more tears fill her eyes. She can't deal with them anymore, they're too much. She slams the back of her head against the wall, in an effort to stop the voices from speaking to her. _You think that's gonna stop us? Nice try, Lorna. We're not leaving - you don't have the power to make us leave. The only sure way to get rid of us is to kill yourself. But you're too weak to do that, aren't you?_ Lorna cries harder, holding her hands over her ears as she continues to bang her head against the wall, "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She suddenly feels a sharp pain in her legs, and looks down at them to see a scratch that runs from her thigh to her ankle. _Oh did that hurt? My bad, little Lorna. Maybe next time you shouldn't tell me to shut up. Who knows what I'll hurt next?_

Nicky, who's spent the past twenty minutes looking for her, comes running over and crouches down beside her. She grabs Lorna's head and lays it in her lap, stroking her face over and over while looking warmly into her eyes. "Shh, you're safe now. I've got ya, kid - ignore the voices, what they say is bullshit," she keeps her voice soft as she continue to stroke the brunette's teary face. She loathes how much pain in her best friend's in - she would love to take all of it away, to tell all those voices to shut the fuck up and get out of her Lorna's head.

"No, no," the brunette cries out, looking bewilderingly up at Nicky, "They're right...They're very right! I'm so fucked-up and crazy, I'd have done the world a favor by killing myself! One less burden on society. You don't deserve to have to deal with a mentally insane person like me." She bows her head down in shame - she hates how her mental condition affects all of the people that she loves and cares for.

The redhead pulls her closer, kissing the top of her head lovingly. She runs her thumb tenderly across Lorna's chin, lifting it so she can softly look into her eyes, "Stop that nonsense, kid. How many times I gotta tell you to quit calling yourself fucked up?! Those voices you hear are absolutely wrong, and you need to ignore them. I know it's hard to tune them out, especially on your own, but you have to try. I don't want you to be thinking these terrible things about yourself, because none of it's true. And I'm glad that I get to be your friend - that I can help and take care of you. You're one of a kind, Lorna - without you, the world wouldn't be the same; _I_ wouldn't be the same without you." She lovingly runs her hands through the short waves of Lorna's brown hair.

Nicky's never been one to share her past with others but hearing how hard Lorna is being on herself, she feels the need to talk about some of the things she's done. She hopes telling her might make her realize that there's worse things one could do besides believe in their own lies. She wants Lorna to understand that she's not a bad person, regardless of what the voice tell her. Sighing, Nicky looks down at the brunette and presses a tender kiss to her forehead. "You wanna know somethin', kid?" When she sees the other slightly nod, she continues, "I've done some bad things in my life. You remember how I told you I spent a few months in prison? Well I actually spent a couple of _years_ \- I was addicted to heroine for most of my later teen years, up until my early twenties. Terrible decision, I had to leave my poor sister to fend for herself with her idiot father while I was locked away in a prison an hour away. I'll regret that for the rest of my life. So see, you're not the only one who's done some fucked up stuff - although I, personally, don't consider what you did fucked up. You weren't thinking clearly, Lorna. I _was_ thinking clearly when I chose to take drugs. Now, how about we get the hell out of this damn hospital and head home?"

* * *

Once they arrive back at Nicky's apartment both happily settle onto the couch. It was nice to be back at home, away from the hospital, especially for Lorna. She couldn't deal with having the many curious glances from nurses and the coldness of her doctor. Sighing, she relaxed against the soft cushion of the couch while her eyes gazed at the screen in front of them - only half absorbing what was being shown.

Sitting beside her, Nicky instinctively wrapped her arm around the other's waist as she pull her closer. She gently brushes her lips against Lorna's in a tender kiss. Running a hand through her short brown hair, she smiles warmly at her, "I love you, kid. I mean it, I really do. I love you more than anything, Lorna - more than any other person. Would you - Would you possibly be my girlfriend?" Nicky's never been nervous to say or ask anything, but Lorna meant a whole lot to her and she would absolutely hate to scare her away.

Lorna's face nearly lights up at that, squeezing her arms tight around Nicky's neck and pressing a kiss, of her own, to her lips. She grins, stroking her jawline lovingly while slowly nodding her head. "Of course, Nicky. I love you too, I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. You mean so much to me, and I can't imagine myself loving anyone other than you. You have made my life meaningful and worthwhile; I can never thank you enough for that." _What about Christopher? You know you love him the most, you lying little whore._ Lorna shrugs away the voice, beaming up at the redhead as she rest her head on her shoulder and runs her hand through the thickness of her hair.

"Do you not remember that you helped to stop my sister from bleeding to death the other day? That is more than enough, kid. And I love you even more for that," Nicky softly says, kissing her cheek as she hold her tight. She smiles back down at her, stroking her forehead tenderly, "You're so beautiful, Lorna. I'm so lucky to have a person like you in my life. Your dark brown eyes sparkle with such innocence, it's precious. _You're_ precious. I love you so damn much, kid." Gently, she pecks her on the lips, running her hands tenderly across her cheeks.

Before it can go any further Nicky's phone goes off, making her roll her eyes. _Just when things start to heat up,_ she irritatingly thinks as she answers her phone. When she hears who's on the other line and what the person has to say, she can't help but feel guilty for getting angry about being interrupted. "I'm calling on behalf of your sister, Lilly - she's awake and screaming out for you. If you could come down here and try to console her, we would really appreciate that. She's refusing to let anyone near her, and we need to be able to check her vitals and do a CT scan of her brain." Nicky's relieved to hear that her sister's finally awake, but her heart aches that she's frightened and alone in the hospital.

Sadly looking down at Lorna, she pulls her in for a tight embrace and kisses the top of her head. "I hate to do this, but I've gotta go back to the hospital. Lilly's just come out of the coma and she's calling out for me," she gently says, brushing her thumb lovingly across Lorna's forehead. "I don't know how long I'll be and I really rather you not be here alone. So I want you to call your sister - Miley - and have her come over. I know you're not too close with her, but she's nice and will be good company for you. Promise me that you'll do that - okay, kid?" When she gets a satisfying nod from her, she gives her a loving kiss on the lips and one last squeeze, "I love you so much. Please don't do anything stupid - I know the voices are meaner when you're alone, but don't listen to them, baby. If it gets too out of control in there all you gotta do is call me, I'll answer."

* * *

After Nicky walks into the hospital, finds out what room her sister's in, she quickly jogs to it. She's not even in the room yet and she can already hear her cries. She feels her heart breaking as she gets closer, finally running to her bedside. Gently, she scoops the disoriented blonde into her arms and rocks her gently. "Shh, it's all okay now. You're fine, Lilly. I know you just woke up and have no clue where you are, but I promise you're in a safe place. No one here would ever hurt you. Calm down, Lil; I'm here, I've got you. Your big sister will never let anything bad happen to you; you know that," she soothingly says, gently stroking her hair. It pains her to see how frightened and tiny Lilly seems.

The blonde instantly calms at the sound of her older sister's voice, looking up at her with big blue eyes. "What-What happened? W-where am I?" She can't remember what year it is, let alone where she even was - it didn't look like their house and there were so many people who surrounded her the minute her eyes opened. And there was a dull pain in the back of head, what had she done to cause that?

Peering down at Lilly with empathy, the redhead holds her tighter. This must be one of those minor, but 'temporary' complications the doctor had warned her about. Sighing, Nicky softly stroked her cheek, "You fell and hit your head, pretty hard. And that made your brain swell up - which is why you're in the hospital. How are ya feelin', baby? Do you know how old you are or what your name is? Are you in pain, kid?" She presses a motherly kiss to the younger woman's head, while worriedly waiting for her to answer.

"My name's Lilly...why wouldn't I know that? And I'm nineteen," Lilly laughs, confused at why her own sister would ask her such silly questions. How could she forget her name or how old she is? "I feel okay, except the back of my head seems to ache a bit. I don't remember falling though. How could a little fall cause me to end up in the hospital?"

All the color instantly drains from Nicky's face as she hears how old her sister thinks she is. "Lilly, baby, you're twenty-three years old. What year do you think it is?" She worriedly looks down at the other, softly placing her head onto her chest in the hopes of easing the pain she's feeling. She hates that her sister seems to be having trouble remembering things and hopes to God that it's only temporary or she will sue the doctor as she originally said.

Lilly shakes her head, staring wide-eyed at the older woman. How could she be twenty-three and not even remember the last four years of her life? Did she hit her head that hard? "What - what do you mean I'm twenty three? That's crazy...it's 2012, how can I be that old already? Wait a minute - this is just another dream, isn't? I'm not really awake, this is just another one of those dreams. Nice try, Nicky, but I know this isn't real," she pinches herself to prove her right, but winces when it actually hurts. Her blue eyes grow even wider as she looks back up at the redhead. "This - This isn't a dream? I've actually slept away the past four years of my life?"

Letting out a deep breath, Nicky looks down at her, "Its 2016, Lilly - and you've only slept the past two days of your life away. This is probably only temporary, the memory loss your experience, so don't let it get to you. That's probably why the doctor wants to do a scan of your brain." She kisses the top of her head gently, hoping that this will eventually go away - she would hate for her sister to have to deal with even more pain than she's already been dealt.

* * *

Lorna did as Nicky requested of her and invited Miley over. She figured it would be good for the two of them to bond some more - after all they are sisters, and Miley seems to be the only family she has that actually cares about her well-being. The two of them sat at the dinning room table, talking over a pot of freshly-brewed coffee. Lorna lifts her mug for a big gulp as she stare over at the other.

Sipping on her own coffee, Miley smiles. She finds it nice a change, spending time with her half-sister, almost filling like she's meant to be in New York. Maybe it was a good thing to find that paternity test, because now she's able to get to know her other family - it's lovely to have more than one sibling - especially since two of them are sisters. "So how have you been doing? Oh and how's Lilly? I haven't heard from her in the past few days - that's kind of worried me, we usually talk once a day on the phone. Now that I think of it, the other day when she was over, something seemed off with her."

The question washes Lorna's face over with empathy. She feels awful that Lilly's in the hospital dealing with the pain that her own actions caused - even if Nicky doens't blame her, she knows it's her fault. If she had left Christopher alone, he wouldn't have come over and nearly tried to kill her - which incidently led to Lilly's fall. "Well, actually Lilly's in the hospital," she quietly says, "Long story short - Christopher came over, was about to strangle me and Lilly got a knife to stab him with; he dodged it and that made her fall really hard and she hit her head on the floor. She hit her head so hard that blood pooled around it and she was put into an induced coma to stop her brain from swelling. Today they brought her out of it, and that's where Nicky's at right now. I'm so sorry, Miley; I know you and her are really good friends - and I caused her so much pain, I feel so terrible!" Lorna cries out, a-shamed of what she'd done to her friend's sister and her sister's friend.

"Oh dear God, poor Lilly! That's horrible, but I'm glad to hear she's awake," Miley looks over at her half-sister, who is close to tears, and reaches her hand over to grab a hold of hers. She strokes it gently with her thumb. "It's not your fault she's hurt, Lorna. It sounds like it's Christopher's fault. What was he doing coming over here anyway? I thought he was engaged to that Angela girl."

Lorna shakes her head - of course it was her fault, Christopher came to the apartment because of her, because of her stalking him and threatening his wife. Everything that happened that day was because of her - Lilly's suffering in the hospital is her fault, and she hates herself even more for that. "It's my fault because I'm the reason Christopher was there in the first place. If - If I would have just left him alone, none of what happened would have happened!" She angrily slams her head on the table.

The chestnut haired woman sighs and gets up from her chair to wrap Lorna in a comforting embrace. "Honey you couldn't have stopped what happened if you wanted to - he was strangling you, how the hell could you stop him from making Lilly fall? This is all on Christopher, he came and he hurt the two of you. You didn't do a thing to hurt her; don't blame yourself for it, sweetie," Miley soothingly says, while comfortingly patting her head.

* * *

Later that night, after Miley's left, Lorna falls asleep on the couch with the television silently playing in the background. The door to the apartment opens and in comes Nicky, who can't help but smile at the sight of her girlfriend sleeping soundly on the couch. She gently walks over to her, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead as she scoop her up into her arms. Cradling her softly, the redhead brings her into her bedroom and carefully lays her in the bed.

Nicky quickly changes into her pajamas and gets into her bed, right beside the sleeping Lorna. She lovingly wraps her arms around the tiny woman's waist, pressing a kiss to her temple. "You're even beautiful when you're asleep, kid," she warmly whispers, running her hand soothingly through her thick brown hair. It warms her heart to have a woman such as Lorna in her life, and she's so grateful that she was able to stop her from making a tragic mistake all those months ago. "I love you so much."

"Nicky? That you?" Lorna's tired voice as she snuggles closer to where the warmth is coming from. She slowly opens her eyes and gives a small smile when she sees Nicky's holding her. She presses a loving kiss to her chin, "I love you too. I always will." Gently she wraps her arms around the redhead's stomach, peering up at her eyes warmly.

Smiling back, Nicky kisses the top of her head while gently laying Lorna's head against her chest. She strokes soothing circles around her back while staring softly down at her. "I know you do. Go back to sleep, baby. We can spend all morning having sex, I promise. But now, it's best you go to sleep - and me too for that matter, I'm exhausted," She gives her a gentle peck on the lips before pulling the covers over them and watching Lorna quickly drift back into sleep. Soon she finds sleep taking over her as well.


	11. Chapter 11

Sunlight poured into Nicky's room waking Lorna from her slumber. Her brown eyes squint from how bright the sun is while she looks up to see that the redhead is still asleep. A smile spreads on her face as she takes in the beauty of her sleeping girlfriend; she gently lifts her head to press a loving kiss to her forehead. Lorna never imagined that she would ever be in love with a woman - she grew up as a catholic, and was taught that just the thought of loving someone in the same gender was a sin. To actually act on those feelings would definitely deem her to hell - if she really believed in that. Of course had her father found about this, he would most certainly shun her out of the family - if he hadn't already done that because of her mental condition.

"Mornin' kid," Nicky's raspy voice says as she opens her eyes to stare down at the petite brunette. She smiles softly, reaching her hand down to lovingly caress her face. Lifting Lorna's face in front of her own, she presses their lips together in a tender kiss. Her hands stroke the brunette's cheeks as she deepens the kiss, "God you have no fucking idea how much I love you." Nicky slowly runs her hands down Lorna's sides, making sure to leave her feeling tingly and warm inside.

Lorna wraps her arms tightly around the redhead's neck, kissing her warmly on the lips. She brushes her thumb tenderly across her girlfriend's cheek. "I love you, too," she whispers with a beaming smile, pressing another kiss to her lips. "You're the first and only woman I've felt this way about. And I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything, I don't care if I go to hell for it - you are worth it." Lorna cups the other's face in her hands, brushing her lips lovingly against her skin. No one has ever made her feel as wonderful as Nicky has.

Laughing at Lorna's comment about hell, Nicky softly looks into her eyes. She uses one of her hands to push a stray hair off of her face, "You're not gonna go to hell for loving someone, kid. _But_ I am flattered that you would endure a torturous afterlife just to be with someone like me. That's so kind of you." She smirks playfully, pulling the brunette's face closer to hers and smashes their lips together in a deep kiss. She runs a finger through the short waves of her hair, twirling them into tiny curls. "We should go out tonight, what do you think?"

Nodding her head enthusiastically, the brunette smiles brightly. "That's a great idea," she presses her lips against Nicky's cheek in a gentle kiss, running a hand through her thick red curls. Her fingers lightly caress the taller woman's forehead as she stares warmly up at her, "You are absolutely beautiful, Nicky. Who wouldn't want to spend their life with you? I've never met a woman like you, and I am so happy that I finally have - I just, I love you so much and I can't see my life with anyone but you." She says gently, peering up at her with love very clearly showing in her eyes and she gently runs her finger against the other's jawline.

Nicky's eyes go soft as she looks lovingly down at Lorna. She pulls her closer, stroking her forehead while giving a warm kiss to her lips, "Lorna - Sweet, precious Lorna, I can assure you that you are the first person I've ever had such strong and real feelings for. I mean I've had girlfriends before, but none of them meant as much to me as you do. You're a special woman; you really are, kid." She kisses the top of her head, smiling lovingly at her. Hardly anyone's ever seen the good in Nicky, so knowing that Lorna does makes her heart swell with warmth.

* * *

After spending a lovely morning in bed with Lorna, Nicky happily stood in the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee. She smiles as she scoops the coffee grounds into the filter - she's never loved anyone the way she loves Lorna Morello. And the thought alone brings a warming sensation to her. It feels nice, to love and be loved. Once the pot begins to brew, she walks into the living room and sits on the couch while flicking the television on.

Her facial expression fills with concern when she sees Lorna come in the room, her skin pale as a ghost. Immediately Nicky stands up and wraps her in a tight hug. She cups her cheeks, staring worriedly into her eyes. "What's wrong, kid? Why do you look so pale? Are the voices bothering you?" Her voice uneasily thick as she runs her hand comfortingly through her girlfriend's dark hair.

Shaking her head furiously, Lorna holds up her phone shakily pointing at the recent call she received. "Christopher - he called me from - from jail. Told me he's getting out this Friday, and that he-he will find me and -" Tears spill out of her eyes as she begins to sob, not able to finish what she was saying because of how upset she is.

Furious, Nicky's face turns red. There's no chance in hell that she's letting Christopher come anywhere near Lorna again. She's going to find him and kill him. After what he's done to the two people that mean everything to her, he deserves to die. Her arms squeeze the brunette tighter, making her feel safe and protected. "You think I'm gonna let that dickhead anywhere near you, kid? Hell no. I'll find him and fucking shoot him myself. He's not coming near you, don't even worry about that. I promised you that I would take care of you and protect you, and I intend to keep that promise," she says firmly, kissing the top of her head soothingly.

"I don't - I don't understand," Lorna chokes out in between her sobs, "I thought leaving him alone is what he wanted? Why - why is he out to kill me? I stopped stalking him...Haven't I? Oh no - the voices, they must be telling him things. They're making stuff up and telling him to kill me! He was a good man, he wouldn't kill anyone. So it's gotta be the voices; it just has to." Her eyes bewildered as she grips tightly on Nicky's arm, peering heavily up at her.

The redhead lovingly stares back at her while shaking her head. She carefully leads her to the couch, sitting beside her and gently places Lorna's head on her shoulder. "No, kid, I don't think it's the voices. I think it's all Christopher - he's a fucking asshole," Nicky says, her voice soft but with a hint of anger as she uses her thumb to caress the bottom of her chin. "You're just a very sweet girl - you see the good in everyone. But there's no good in him, not after what he almost did to you! I can still see traces of his hand-prints on your neck - and that makes me unbelievably angry. How could he hurt such a precious woman like you - how could anyone?! You are just a tiny, sweet little thing - what could he possibly see in you that makes him want to fucking kill you? You stalked him, so what? It's not like you did anything to physically hurt him. You stalked him out of love; and you're not thinking clearly so you're not technically at fault for that. I'm telling ya, kid - if I ever come face to face with this Christopher, I will fucking beat him until he can't get up. I swear to God that I will - he's a fucking evil son of a bitch."

Lorna bows her head down, tears streaming down her cheeks as her body slightly trembles. "I-I - the-the night that-that you found me on the bridge - I had gone to his house, and Angela - she opened the door. I didn't - I didn't know that he had a fiancee and it made me so angry. And then she laughed in my face, telling me what a child I was - there's no way Christopher or anyone could love me. I got even angrier and pushed her to the floor with my arms practically choking her...But as soon as he came outside and I heard his voice, I stopped. I - I didn't mean to hurt her, but I was so mad that I couldn't comprehend what I was even doing. Oh God I'm horrible, I'm a monster," she cries, shaking tremendously as she holds onto the other for dear life.

To hear that only brings more rage to Nicky. She couldn't believe how cruel those two people were to Lorna. It made her want to find them and take them to that bridge - make them feel the pain that they caused the tiny brunette. Cupping her face, she looks warmly into her eyes. "I love you so much, kid," she gently whispers, kissing her softly, "No, baby, you're not a monster! She deserved that, Lorna. What she said to you is absolutely cruel; you had every right to do what you did. I'm very pleased to hear that you actually stood up for yourself - I didn't think you had it in you, you're too sweet of a person."

* * *

Later on in the day, Nicky and Lorna decided to head out for a while. They spent most of the past couple of days cooped up in the house so an afternoon out sounded perfect to them. While the redhead was busy driving, Lorna sat in the passenger side with the window rolled down and happily took in the sunlight. She loved the warm weather, it filled her with a sense of familiarity. Back when she was a little girl - before her mental condition completely engulfed her - she and Franny were very close. The two would play outside from morning until night, only going in when their mother yelled for them to. Summer nights, as a child, were always Lorna's favorite - she loved spending all the time outside with her sister and sometimes wished she could go back to those days. When everything was much simpler and her mind actually seemed to work properly.

Periodically staring over at her girlfriend Nicky couldn't help but smile. No one has ever made her fall in love before - no one except the petite brunette woman sitting beside her. That's not to say that she hadn't liked the several girlfriends that she did have, it's just they never made her feel the way Lorna does. None of them had ever made feel her so loved, at least not the kind of love that Lorna erupts within her. "Lorna," she gently says, a smile on her face as she watches the brunette turn to face her, "I love you."

Lorna beams a smile as she reaches her hand up to gently caress Nicky's cheek, "I love you too, so much." She grabs a hold of the other's free hand and lovingly strokes it with her thumb. Her smile grows; she never imagined that she could love someone this much - especially as that someone is another woman. "You make me so happy, Nicky. I'm so thankful that you were the one who found me on the bridge - you've helped me realize how much I still have to live for. I mean I may not have Christopher anymore or even my own family but I do have you - and _you_ are worth everything." She softly brushes her lips against her girlfriend's knuckles.

"Damn you kid, why ya gotta get all sweet when I'm in the middle of driving?" A smirk playfully spreads on Nicky's face as she quickly glances over to Lorna. She takes the hand that holds hers and brings it to her own lips, kissing it warmly. "Since I can't kiss you properly, that'll have to do for now. My beautiful, sweet Lorna."

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, the two arrive at the bar and once they're both out of the car, Nicky pulls Lorna to her for a long awaited kiss. "That's better," the redhead says with a smirk once she releases her. She gently grabs her hand and the two make their way into the building. A hostess seats them at a booth, hands them each a menu, and leaves. Smiling across at Lorna, Nicky reaches over to gently stroke her cheek. "You gonna try a different alcoholic beverage tonight, kid? Or are you gonna play it safe and stick to your wine?" She lightly chuckles while staring at the other.

"Hey, I ain't afraid to try something else," Lorna's tone defensive as she crosses her arms while giving a lighthearted glare towards her girlfriend. "My mom used to mix whiskey and honey together - and it was very, very good. So I'll get that today." She states matter-of-factually, and does exactly that when a waitress comes to write down their orders.

Nicky stares at the brunette, scrunching her face up as she asks, "Whiskey and honey? Really? That can't seriously taste good." A mixture that she's never come across for the past five years that she's bar tended. She's surprised they even have the ingredients to make such a drink. The sound alone of it makes her want to gag. But she has to smile at how precious Lorna looks when she tries to act all tough.

After the drinks are brought over, Lorna holds up her glass and gently sniffs in the scent of it. The strong smell brings her back to a time where her life was almost decent - when her mother was alive, she and her sister got along, and her dad wasn't making jokes about her all the time. She sips it, and smiles, "Delightful. You don't know what're your missing, Nicky." She stares over at Nicky, who shakes her head with a laugh.

The redhead smirks as she takes a gulp of her own drink. She reaches across the table to move a stray hair from her girlfriend's eyes, "Whatever floats your boat, kid." A feeling of warmth rushes through Nicky's body - this is the happiest she's been in a long while. She has a woman in her life - that she truly loves and who loves her back - , her sister is doing much better, and she hasn't touched drugs in over three years. What more could she ask for?

Lorna beams at her, grabbing one of Nicky's hands and squeezing it gently in her own. The love she has for this woman - the first and only woman she could ever have such feelings for - is even deeper and stronger than what she thought she felt for Christopher. And to make her feel better about it, the redhead shares the same love - she loves Lorna back, something that she thought she would never get to experience. "Sometimes I wonder if you're actually real or if this is all part of my imagination. I never thought I would meet a person who I'd fall in love with and be loved back," she quietly says, looking over at her girlfriend.

Hearing that makes Nicky's heart break; lovingly she takes Lorna's head in her hands and kisses her softly on the lips, "I'm pretty sure I'm real, kid. And my love for you is definitely real too. I've never loved anyone the way I love you. You are so damn special, Lorna, you really are." She runs her thumb tenderly across the brunette's cheek, smiling kindly at her.

"I'm so glad that I met you," Lorna smiles, peering lovingly into the other's big brown eyes. She lifts her glass to take a sip before continuing to speak. "You are the first person to ever take interest in me - to still be here even when you know how fucking messed up my head is, and you don't mock me for that. You have no clue how much that means to me, Nicky. And on top of that being with you actually helps me to ignore the voices. You seem to make my head want to work better, if that makes any sense."

Nicky can feel her heart beating faster with the amount of love she has for this petite Italian woman. She shakes her head with a smile as her eyes go soft while staring across at her girlfriend. "That's cause those voices know I won't let them hurt you. I could never mock you, and it angers the hell out of me that your idiot father does. There is so much more to you than this mental condition - you're a beautiful woman who has the kindest heart, and you're very sweet. Have you talked to your family at all lately, kid? Do they ever call you to see how you're doing?" She curiously wonders - surely Lorna's family still cares about her, deep down. She's never met the woman's two older siblings or anything, but they can't be as cruel as her father, can they?

With a sour expression, Lorna shakes her head. She hasn't bothered talking to any of them since her last altercation with Franny. And it's not as if they tried to get in contact with her either - if they were going to defend their father's actions of constantly berating and belittling her, then she needed to stay away from them. "Aside from Miley, I haven't. I haven't called them and they haven't called me," she finally says, her eyes faintly feeling a bit watery. She quickly wipes away at them, not wanting to cry over it. It hurts to know that even Franny - her sister who she used to look up to, who used to take care of her - would mock her condition.

The slight pain in Lorna's eyes definitely didn't go unnoticed by Nicky. Softly, she looks into her eyes and slightly frowns. "That hurts you, doesn't it? I'm sorry, kid. You would think they would check up on you, for fuck's sake. What's wrong with them? How can they not care?" A twinge of anger quite evident in her voice as she lift her hand to comfortingly stroke Lorna's forehead. She couldn't fathom how one's own family could just up and abandon them, like Lorna's, and especially over a mental condition that she hadn't the ability to control.

Shrugging her shoulders, Lorna put on a smile - she didn't want to dwell on the negatives. Of course she was hurt and upset by how her family chose to shun her away, but she wasn't about to let that ruin their night out. "You don't gotta apologize, it's fine. It doesn't bother me that much anyway," she lies while gulping the rest of her whiskey. Her smile grows once the effects of the alcohol take over, and her body starts to relax. "How old were you when you realized you were into women rather than men?"

Smirking, Nicky gulps down the beer in front of her and stares straight ahead at her girlfriend. "Well that's random of you to ask, kid," she chuckles, "I think I've known that all my life. I never took an interest in boys or men. It was especially apparent to me when I was in middle school - all the girls were gushing over what guy was taking them to the dances while I couldn't give two shits about it." Middle school was one of the worst times for Nicky - she couldn't stand how ridiculous all the girls were in her class or how immature all the boys were. She wouldn't go back to that time if she was paid to. "What about you - when was the first time you realized you liked men?" The redhead sarcastically jokes as she lightly laughs.

"Very funny," Lorna says with a laugh of her own and before she can say anything else, the waitress comes over. She quickly orders another drink as does Nicky. "But I always did, from a very young age, fantasize about my wedding day. I pictured myself meeting Mr. Right in college - which never happened as I hadn't even gone - and we would fall in love instantly. Did you go to college or anything, Nicky? Do you have a dream job or something?" Once their drinks are brought over, she grabs hers and sips it while waiting to hear the other's response.

Nicky reached over to lovingly caress the brunette's cheek, giving her a warm peck on the lips. She lifts the beer bottle in front of her and chugs a bit of it down. "College wasn't really my thing; I'm not the studying type - not like my sister at all. Watching her study is good enough for me. As for a dream job - I don't know, I've never really thought that far ahead. I kind of like bar-tending; maybe one day I'll open a bar of my own. What about you, kid - what's your dream job?" She enjoys the light talk they're having - it's nice to see Lorna at ease and not occupied with the demons bothering her in her head. She only wishes there was a way to rid her of them for good.

Ever since she was a child Lorna dreamt of being a teacher. She loved children and as part of her senior project, in high school, chose to volunteer at a local daycare center. It was one of the best experiences she's ever had - she relished in seeing how much the children learned each week, and how they grew developmentally. And when her nephew, Julian, was born three years ago, that had been one of the best days of her life. "I always yearned to work with children - I'd love to be a preschool teacher, but I don't know if I could ever do such a thing now. I doubt parents would trust a woman with mental issues to teach their little ones," she says sadly, a defeated expression on her face.

To see the sadness in Lorna's brown eyes, it brings an overwhelming amount of empathy to Nicky. "Lorna, we're getting you help. And hopefully your therapist will figure out some sort of treatment that will keep your condition under control. Maybe tomorrow during your session with her, you can tell her about what you would like to do with your life and she might find a way to help you achieve that. You're not crazy, kid, and you would be an amazing teacher. We just need to get your mind to cooperate with what you want it to do, so that you don't have to worry about the voices anymore." She gently cups the brunette's head in her hands and brushes their lips gently together.

* * *

A few hours of drinking and many conversations later, both women were quite a bit lit. They were walking - rather Nicky walking and Lorna wobbling while leaning onto her - down the street to try and sober up before heading back home. In the midst of their walk, Lorna noticed a familiar figure that seemed to be coming towards them. As the figure grew closer, her face went pale. The figure turned out to be Angela, and she did _not_ look happy.

Nicky felt Lorna's tugging on her and grew concerned. She wrapped her arms protectively around her, looking down at her with with worry, "What's the matter, kid?" When she sees who the petite woman is pointing at, she grits her teeth. The woman, who is now standing right in front of them, is tall with dark hair and a very unpleasant expression on her face. She assumes that this must be Angela which causes her to give a dark glare to her. "Excuse you, what the fuck are you doing blocking us from continuing our walk? Huh?" She growls angrily.

Ignoring the raging redhead completely, Angela glares right at Lorna. "You fucking bitch! You just can't leave Christopher the fuck alone, can you?! You're the one who belongs in prison not my fucking husband! And who's this with you, huh? You too weak to defend yourself? Or another a person you're stalking? You're a damn psycho, Lorna," she hisses, swinging her arm in an effort to punch her.

Fuming, Nicky blocks the other's fist from touching Lorna and shakes her head. She can't believe what she's hearing and has the urge to push that woman so hard that she falls and cracks her head in half. "Who the fucking hell are you to talk to Lorna like that?! Christopher certainly does belong in prison - he fucking broke into my apartment and tried to kill a sweet, precious woman. And not only that but he also injured my sister quite terribly. So he's right where he belongs, and it's a shame he's only there for a few days - he should be there a lot longer after the pain he caused Lorna. And you - you heartless little bitch - if you even lay a finger on her, I will fucking mess your face up. I mean it, I fucking will. You and Christopher are fucking assholes for patronizing this sweet woman - she's got a serious mental condition, she can't control what she does. You two broke her and made her feel so bad that I had to fucking stop her from jumping off a bridge in the middle of the fucking night. I would love to make you feel that way, you fucking shit. I hope karma comes back to you and makes your life a living hell because that's what you deserve." Her arms wrap even tighter around Lorna's body in a protective embrace while she glares darkly at the other woman. She flips her off as she continues walking down the street with her girlfriend.

They make it back to Nicky's car and she gently helps Lorna into it. She kneels beside her for a minute, noticing the slight amount of tears on her face and lovingly wipes them away. Sighing sadly, Nicky gives her a soft kiss on the head while pulling her in for another hug. "You're not a psycho, kid. You're so sweet and loving - that Angela is a complete cold-hearted bitch. I'd kill her if I could; she had no right to insult you like that. And don't you dare think that any of what she said is true - it's not," her voice warm and full of love as she tenderly strokes her forehead, "I love you, baby - I love you so much." She gently presses their lips together in a soft kiss before finally releasing her and getting into the driver's side to start the car.

* * *

That night as the two lay, snuggled up, in Nicky's bed, Lorna looks up at her and taps her shoulder. When brown eyes peep out of their eyelids and stare back down at her with worry, she reaches up to cup her face while pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "Would you want to come back with me tomorrow for my therapy session? You don't have to if you rather not, but just I want you to know that you're welcome to if you would like. I mean you should know what's going on, I guess, since our relationship is growing so much," she nervously asks, playing gently with Nicky's thick curly red hair.

Hearing that brings a sad smile to the redhead's face. She pulls Lorna closer, kissing the top of her head lovingly as she peers down at her, "Course' I want to come with ya, kid. I want to know everything that's going on in that pretty head of yours, and I'm glad to hear that you're okay with that." She lovingly runs her hand through her girlfriend's short hair while holding her tight. "Maybe being there with you will help keep you calm, so you don't run off again like the last time. Believe me, I don't think the therapist is only doing her job for the money - she seems to really want to help you, sweetie. Don't listen to those damn voices, they don't know a thing. Let's try to have a better appointment tomorrow, okay?" When she gets a reluctant nod, Nicky smiles and kisses her forehead. She strokes her back in soothing circles until the two drift to sleep.

* * *

The two head to the hospital that next afternoon and once they arrive in the waiting room near Lorna's therapist's office, they are quickly greeted by Doctor Reznikov. She has them follow her back to her office, and they both sit in the chairs opposite hers. While the two women are busy getting comfortable, she heads over to the teapot to get them all a hot cup of tea. Something she enjoys doing for all of her patients - she feels it makes the whole process all lot less dreary and painful.

Doctor Reznikov walks back to her desk, while handing each women a cup of the steaming tea. She places a kind smile on her face, looking between the two of them. Her eyes glance at the redhead who's sitting beside her patient, "Are you the famous Nicky she's been telling me about?" She asks, her tone friendly and kind as she takes a sip of her hot beverage.

Nicky nods as she squeezes Lorna's hand gently in her own. "Yeah, and I'm pretty sure I yelled at you the last time for Lorna's running out of here. Sorry bout' that, I just worry for my friend," she looks lovingly at the brunette who is nervously tapping her foot on the ground. She gently strokes her hand in an effort to help calm her nerves.

Nodding, the therapist jots something down in her notebook. She then peers over at Lorna, and gives her a reassuring smile. After what happened the last time, she definitely wasn't going to push anything out of the frail woman - not until she was ready to talk. "You set the pace, Lorna. We don't have to get into heavy details today if you're not ready for that. Just talk about whatever's on your mind and we'll go from there." She can see the tiny bit of resistance that her patience eyes hold and inwardly sighs. It's going to take quite a bit of time to get this girl to open up about her problems.

Gulping, Lorna apprehensively looks up at her. She doesn't even know what to say - that she just wants to be rid of the voices and the fantasies that her mind yearns to create. But she knows none of that will disappear on it's own, she has to actually work on other, healthier ways to cope with her problems. The thing is she hasn't the first idea how. "Well uh - Nicky and I are girlfriends now. That's something on my mind - and it makes me happy," she surprisingly blurts out, and her cheeks flush pink with embarrassment.

Nicky's heart melts when she hears Lorna tell the woman that - nearly a stranger to them. She carefully wraps an arm around her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. It feels her body with warmth that the brunette had the strength to let someone know about their relationship - especially when they had no idea if this person was even okay with same-sex relationships [not that Nicky gave a shit what people thought, but she did know how sensitive Lorna was when it came to things like that].

"That's wonderful to hear, congratulations," the Russian woman says, a smile on her face as she observes her patient carefully. She writes some more notes down in her notebook. "Can you tell me what's going on in your head today? Are you hearing any voices or having hallucinations?"

Shaking her head, Lorna tenses up and focuses her eyes on the pattern of the desk. She traces it around with her fingers, tuning out from the conversation. She doesn't want to bring up any negative information today - she wants to feel happy, and talking about the voices will only bring her down. Her throat is a bit dry so she reaches for her cup of tea, taking a huge gulp. "What kind of material is this desk made out of? It's really pretty, and I love how it feels," the brunette wonders, completely ignoring her questions.

Jotting another thing down, Doctor Reznikov glances over at her. She sighs, knowing that they're not going to get anywhere today - Lorna's not ready to talk about it. "I believe the top is some sort of marble and the rest is all wood. Yeah, it's a pretty nice desk. My husband actually made it - he works for a warehouse company, where he was taught how to carve wood." There's no easy way for her to get this woman to open up about what's really going on inside of her. She knows pushing her to talk about it will only do her more harm, but not talking about it will also be detrimental for her.


	12. Chapter 12

While tracing the marble pattern of the desk Lorna continues to tune out of the conversation. She's still not entirely sure this therapist is truly here to help her. Sure she knows she trusts Nicky and should believe her when she told her that this woman seems to want to help her, but the voices always had such a strong pull on her. They knew exactly what to say to keep her under their control, which bothered her immensely. She longed to be free of them forever - to live her life without fear of herself, to not have to burden or hurt the people she loved.

Nicky watches her with a very concerned expression. She gently taps her shoulder in an effort to get her attention, but miserably fails. It seems that her girlfriend is in her own world - far away from her and the therapist. Sighing sadly, she peered over at the Russian woman behind the desk. She hopes that she'll be able to bring Lorna back to them, and somehow get her to talk about what's going on inside her head.

"Lorna," Doctor Reznikov calls out, staring across the desk at her, "Are you here with us? Can you hear what I'm saying?" She closely observes the brunette woman - noting how she doesn't take her concentration away from the desk as she slowly nods her head. "Can you tell me what's going on?" The red-haired therapist questions slowly, continuing to watch Lorna. She knows it's not the best option to force her patients into talking about their problems, but she also knows if she can't get this young woman to do so that she may never make any progress in healing.

Frustrated, Lorna lifts her head to peer up at the Russian woman. Her brown eyes are dark with reluctance, "I have nothing to say. I'm not doing this today." _That's right - keep quiet, she doesn't want to hear about you. And neither does that girlfriend of yours, who probably can't even stand you. You're sick, Lorna. Just absolutely sick, you don't deserve to be loved by anyone - especially not by someone like Nicky. You almost got her sister killed, you fucking psycho._ Shaking her head as she squeezes her eyes shut, she tries to ignore the voice. She hardly even notices when a tear falls down her cheek, or when she's being handed a tissue.

To see Lorna cry brings a bout of worry to Nicky. She wraps her in a tight hug, looking sadly down at her. How tightly closed the brunette's eyes are she can easily tell that she's being bothered by the voices again. It pains her heart to know that and not be able to stop them. "It's okay, Lorna - you can talk to her. She's here to help you with this. Don't listen to those voices, please," she softly pleads, running her hand through the other's hair. Her brown eyes pour into Lorna's with a deep concern, desperately urging her to speak up and discuss what's going on with the therapist.

_Oh please, don't listen to that girlfriend of yours. We know what's best and that surely isn't for you to blab on and on about your pathetic little problems to some stranger. She doesn't care. No one cares, Lorna._ "Stop! Just fucking stop!" Lorna shouts, staring bewilderedly ahead at the wall. Her hands are shaking fiercely as she continues to focus her eyes on the wall right behind Doctor Reznikov. _You know you have no control over us. You're too weak, that's why we're here. You need us because you can't handle yourself when life gets a little rough. Weak - you're just way too weak._ Crying hysterically, now, the petite woman slams her fists on the desk, nearly smashing her knuckles. "I-I can't - I can't br-breathe -" She chokes out, her breathing becomes hard and fast while she tightly holds onto the rim of the desk - so tight that her hand starts to turn white.

The red-haired therapist immediately puts her notebook aside, reaching across the table to grab a hold of her patient's hand. She gives it a gentle pat while staring up at her in deep concern, "You're fine, you just need to take some deep breaths. You're getting yourself all worked up, Lorna. You need to just take in a deep breath, and maybe sip some of the tea." She nudges the cup closer to the brunette, silently encouraging her to have a sip.

Nicky softly pats her back, "You're okay, kid. Drink some more tea, that will help you calm down." She pulls her in for a comforting embrace, kissing the top of her head in a soothing manner. When she sees how hard of a time Lorna has trying to catch her breath, she gently takes her head and places it against her chest. She uses one hand to pat her back and the other to stroke her hair. "Everything's okay - I've got ya, I won't let the voices do anything to you. Take some deep breaths, kid - I promise that will help you," she whispers lovingly, staring down at her.

* * *

Laying in a hospital bed - almost a week now - Lilly listens closely to what her friends is talking about. Once Miley found out about her being in the hospital, she came to visit her almost every day. And that made some of the time go by quicker for the blonde - she was starting to go stir crazy from how long she'd been stuck in the bed. The nurses had her get out of bed at least twice a day to walk, in order for her to regain strength in her legs.

Before their conversation could go any further they are interrupted by someone opening the door. A woman with light brown hair neatly framing her face, dressed in a professional work uniform, comes in and stares directly at Lilly. Her face resembles an older version of Nicky's, and is much sterner as well. "What the hell happened to you, Lillian?" She asks in a cold tone, her dark eyes icy with a hint of anger.

Hearing that voice - which for sure belonged to her mother - freezes Lilly instantly. Her face immediately turns pale as she timidly looks up at the older woman. "M-mother? What - how, how did you know I was in the hospital?" She shakily wonders, staring at her with anguish. The last time she spoke to her was right before she went back home and ended up pregnant with her father's baby.

Marka Nichols gives an icy glare while walking to the edge of her bed. She can't believe that her husband was spending the rest of his life in prison - and all because of her own daughter. "How did I know? Because I'm your damn mother and the person who fuckin' gets a phone call in the middle of the night when you're brought here! Usually it's your older sister who's brought here - from all those disgusting drugs she does - so imagine my surprise when I hear it's you. And on top of that, you got my husband sent to jail! What the hell is wrong with you? That's your father for Christ's sake! How could you do that to him? He and I gave you shelter, clothes, and food - so what reason do you have to call the police on your own damn father? You ungrateful little bitch," she angrily says, her face getting redder by the second.

Now standing beside the frightened blonde, Miley can't believe what she hears. How can one's own mother say such cruel things? How could she blame her for what happened with Paolo? What kind of mother does such a thing? The chestnut haired woman shakes her head in disbelief as she gives a dark stare to her friend's mother. "How the hell can you stand there and blame any of what happened to that horrendus man on Lilly? He fucking raped her and now she's pregnant with his child - her sibling! He deserves to be in jail for the rest of his life - he violated his own daughter, that's just plain sick," she says, her accent thickened in anger.

"And just who the hell are you?" Marka growls, glaring madly at Miley - who is she to tell her how to speak to her child? "Keep your nose out of other people's business. She's my daughter, and I'll speak to her as I please. And she had no right to call the police on Paolo - that's her fucking father; he did everything he could for her. What the fuck do you know?" She walks closer to her daughter, lifting her hand to slap her on the cheek with.

* * *

Once Lorna's appointment is finished - and nothing really accomplished - the two decide to pay a visit to Nicky's sister. And when they finally arrive at the door of her room, Nicky immediately freezes when she sees who is in there. She fiercely opens the door and marches her way over to where Marka stands, yanking her roughly away from the distraught blonde. Her face grows red with rage as she glares darkly into her mother's eyes, "What the fuck are you doing here? What right do you have to be here after what you let happen to Lilly?! And don't you fucking tell me that you just hit her! You are so sick - absolutely sick - you have no right to even be considered a mother! You didn't do a thing to raise either of us - I had to do it. I had to raise myself, and my baby sister while you fucked around with that animal husband of yours. And then you fucking call Lilly, making her believe that I didn't want her just so she would go back to that house - that house of torture and go through all of it again. Thank God Paolo is in prison for the rest of his miserable life, he fucking deserves it. You do know that he raped your daughter - the poor woman lying in this damn hospital bed, that you gave birth to - and impregnated her with a baby, right?! Do you know how much pain that's caused her, or how sick and demented it was for him to do such a thing to his own child? I don't think you do - how the fuck could you? You don't have a damn heart or conscience. You're just as sick and evil as he is. You let Lilly, my baby sister, get hurt. You fucking knew what was happening and you just didn't give a shit. That makes you an absolute piece of shit, and you should be rotting in prison as well. For neglecting your own child - allowing a man to hurt and violate her almost her entire life. I think I might just make a little phone call to the police." She seethes, slowly taking her phone out of her pocket. As she starts to dial the number, she notices how Lilly frantically shakes her head and the fear that clouds her ocean blue eyes. Her eyes soften when she stares down at her sister, she carefully walks over to her side while bending down to press a comforting kiss to her forehead. She moves her eyes back to glare at the older woman. "The fuck did you say to Lilly? You trying to threaten her into letting you get away with what you've done? You're even more sick than I thought. I'm calling the police, and there's nothing you can do to stop me. And don't even try to scare Lilly from agreeing to it - because she knows I'll protect her, I won't let you do anything to hurt her. She's my sister and I love her with all my heart."

The minute Marka hears that the police will be called on her, she bolts out of the door. Lorna and Miley just stand there silently, in shock at every thing that's gone on. They quietly watch as Nicky angrily dials into her phone, screaming at it once someone answers, and throws it harshly back into her pocket once she hangs up. She looks over to them, her face red with rage as she frustratingly shakes her head, "That woman is a complete bitch - she's not walking out of this damn building unless it's to spend the rest of her shitty life in prison. She's fucking as disgusting as her husband."

Gently she moves back towards her sister, looking down at her in empathy. Her eyes soften at the sight of tears staining her cheek - that also holds a very distinct red-mark from where Marka slapped her. Nicky carefully strokes it with her knuckles while giving a motherly kiss to her forehead. "I'm so sorry you had to be bothered by her, Lil. Whatever she told you - none of it's true. She's a piece of shit - she doesn't deserve to be a mother," she soothingly says, continuing to stroke the blonde's cheek. It pains her to see her sister hurting even more - especially now, when she's in the hospital dealing with some medical problems. "You look exhausted, kid - try to get some sleep, okay? I'll drop by sometime tomorrow to see you. I love you so much, Lilly."

After placing another soothing kiss to her forehead, Nicky walks over to the door - near Lorna - and gives a quick glance over at Miley, "Take care of my sister, will you?" Receiving a satisfying nod in response she and Lorna finally leave.

* * *

An hour later the two women are finally back at the apartment. The two sit on the couch, staring blankly ahead at the television screen. Nicky stares over at Lorna, watching her closely, and reaches her hand over to grab hers. She squeezes it lovingly in her own while stroking it with her thumb. "I was thinking maybe we could go out of town for the weekend, what do you think?" Her voice soft as she runs a hand lovingly through the other's dark hair.

Lorna nods her head agreeably, a warm smile across her face. Going out of town for a few days sounded like a splendid idea to her, especially now - since Christopher was back from jail. "I think that's a nice idea," she says happily, reaching up to gently place a kiss onto the redhead's lips. She cups her cheeks, brushing their lips deeper together, beaming euphorically up at her. "Where will we go, Nicky?" The brunette questions lovingly while peering into her eyes.

"Well - I haven't even thought that far yet," Nicky chuckles, kissing the top of Lorna's head. She gently pushes the smaller woman to the couch, tracing her hands all over her body as she stare warmly down at her. "Maybe we can just get in the car and see where we end up. What do you say to that, kid?" Her hands run up and down Lorna's body while her lips lightly kiss her all over the face. She smiles, using one hand to twirl around in the short waves of her girlfriend's hair.

Cupping Nicky's cheeks, Lorna pecks her tenderly on the lips as she runs one hand through her thick hair. "I like that idea even more," she softly says, looking up into the other's big brown eyes. She captures her lips in another loving kiss, rubbing her hands gently through her hair and down her back. The kiss continues to get deeper, leaving both women feeling quite elated. "I love you." Lorna states, pulling the taller woman closer to her.

With a grin, Nicky lets one of her hands run all the way down her girlfriend's body. As she reaches the bottom of Lorna's skirt, she stops and slowly trails her hand up her leg, making sure to leave the brunette feeling tingly all over. Once her hand reaches directly under the skirt she gently moves her hand around until she comes across her underwear, which she slowly pulling it off of her. After Lorna's skirt and underwear has been removed, Nicky lovingly strokes her while carefully applying pressure. Her smile grows when she hears how loud the smaller woman moans out her name, nearly shaking from the intensity of pleasure she's experiencing. "I love you too, kid," she whispers warmly, continuing to apply more and more pressure.

When Lorna is shaking so much and moaning her name continuously Nicky finally releases the pressure and wraps her arms lovingly around her waist. She pulls her as close as she can have her, placing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're so beautiful, Lorna," she gently runs a hand through her hair while softly laying the brunette's head against her chest. Having a woman like Lorna in her life brings such a feeling of warmth to her heart - she never imagined that she would meet such a wonderful person.

* * *

That evening Nicky and Lorna venture off on the road, having no idea where they're headed. The sun is beginning to set in the sky as it leaves behind a beautiful mixture of colors. Lorna leans her head against the window, watching the continuous change of scenery pass them by. A glowing smile forms across her face - she's never really traveled away from the city. Her parents hardly made enough money to keep their house from falling apart, so going on a trip hadn't ever run through their minds.

Looking over at the taller woman - who's busy driving - Lorna smiles bigger while gently grabbing her free hand. She gives it a loving squeeze, running her thumb over her knuckles. "This is amazing, Nicky - I've never really ventured far from home, so this is quite the adrenaline rush!" The brunette exclaims, beaming all the while. Not only is she ecstatic about the trip, but she's also glad to be experiencing with Nicky - the woman who she's grown so fond of and has never loved anyone nearly as much as she loves her.

Nicky softly smiles back at her as she squeezes the hand that holds hers. "You're somethin' else, kid," she lets out a chuckle while slowing down the car to sit at a red-light. Quickly, she reaches over to cup Lorna's face and press a warm kiss to her lips. She runs her thumb lightly across the skin of her face, staring lovingly into her eyes. "I love you so much." After giving her another kiss the light changes to green and she quickly focuses back on driving.

As they continue their trip, Lorna senses a car behind them - that seems to be a little too close to the back of theirs. She timidly turns her head to get a glance at the car, trying to see who's behind the wheel. Her heart drops immediately when she sees who's behind them - how could Christopher have known that they were taking a trip? He just got out of prison and she never said a thing to him; unless the voices suddenly escaped once again, while she was asleep, and mentioned something to him.

With her face pale as a ghost she turns to stare across at Nicky. She grips her shoulder tightly, "Ch-Chris-Christopher - He's-He's right behind-behind us." Lorna shakily says while her legs begin to tremble beneath her. What on earth was he planning to do now? Was he still out to kill her? _You idiot, Lorna - Of course he's here to kill you. He promised he would and he's not going back on it. And besides you deserve to be killed - you're nothing but a fucking psycho. All you do is hurt people._ She squeezes her eyes closed, feeling them well up with tears.

"What are ya talkin' about, kid?" Nicky questions worriedly, looking in the rear-view mirror to see who was behind them. When she sees that it's a man, and that he's very close to ramming the back of her car, she quickly switches lanes. She tries to speed down the road in order to lose him, but he comes up behind them and starts tail-gating again. "Shit! He's a damn maniac!" Looking through the back window, she can see his car getting closer which causes her to slam on the gas. She looks over at Lorna - who is sobbing her eyes out at this point - and sighs sadly, "It's gonna be okay, kid. I won't let anything happen to you - I promise, baby."

In a matter of minutes their car is slammed into and tumbles violently into the air, landing on the other side of the road with the ceiling nearly caving in on them. Nicky sits there, in shock, for several moments and jumps when she sees blood dripping from her head. Tears fall from her eyes as she glances around the car, looking for Lorna. When she finally sees her, more tears fill her eyes as she notices that her legs are pinned underneath the caved-in car door. "L-Lorna - are-are you okay?" She timidly asks, worriedly staring down at her. She tries to move closer to her girlfriend but realizes that there's no room to move which frightens her even more.

Lorna opens her eyes but all she can see is darkness. She closes them and re-opens them hoping to have a better outcome, but still all she sees is blackness. Screaming, she tries to move her body which only causes her a severe amount of pain. "I-I-I c-can't-can't see! Nicky, whe-where are you? I can't see you! And I can't-can't feel my-my legs... What the hell happened?!" She shrieks, frightened as to what's going on. Had Christopher drove right into them? Was this another attempt of his to murder her?

Hearing that only causes Nicky to cry more, she tries to reach her hand over to somehow touch Lorna but that just causes a pain to run through her arm. "I'm right here, kid - I promise. We - we were in a car crash. Are you in any pain, Lorna?" She softly asks, trying to keep calm for her distraught girlfriend. She silently hopes that someone will soon come and get them out of the car.

"N-no, I can't feel anything. And I can't see! I think I'm blind, Nicky!" Lorna tearfully replies, fearing that she may never be able to see again and that utterly terrifies her. She begins to worry about the redhead, trying to scoot towards her - which does her no good as her entire body is numb and tingling. "Are-are you hurt?!"

Nicky refuses to make Lorna worry, so she quickly responds with, "I'm okay, kid. I'm just worried for you. Hopefully someone will be here to help us. Try to calm down, baby - you don't want to make yourself feel worse by getting too worked up. I'm right here with you, I'm not leaving you. I know you can't see that, but I promise you that I am right here beside you. We're gonna get out of here and be just fine. And I will fucking find that asshole - Christopher - and kill him myself. I can't believe he would do something so disgusting like this - especially after getting out of jail for almost killing you before. He's a sick, evil man."

* * *

Once an ambulance has come and taken both women to the hospital, Nicky finds herself sitting alone in the waiting room. They had already bandaged her forehead, after stitching it together, and wrapped her arm in an ace bandage - she sprained it quite awfully. And now she had to wait for Lorna - who was immediately taken for an MRI of her brain and spinal chord - doctors feared that the wreck may have paralyzed her from the waist down.

Nicky sat there for many silent moments - shaking her head angrily as she stare down at the ground. How could she let this happen to the woman she loved so deeply? How could she let her get hurt so terribly, especially when she promised her that she wouldn't? She lets out an exasperated groan, slouching carelessly in the chair as she continues to wait. She watches while people pass by, and soon notices a familiar figure walking across the room. As the person gets closer, she realizes that it's Lorna's therapist. And once the therapist sees her, she stops what she's doing and immediately makes her way over to Nicky.

Doctor Reznikov slowly takes a seat beside the redhead, looking her over in concern. "My, my - what on earth happened to you?" She carefully questions, her Russian accent a little more pronounced. She couldn't imagine what this woman must have gotten herself into to get hurt this badly. "Has a doctor looked you over yet?"

Irritated, Nicky groans and rolls her eyes. She's not in the mood to make small talk, especially with her girlfriend's therapist. All she wants to do is be with Lorna, and make sure she's okay. "Just a car wreck - yes and I'm fine. Unlike Lorna, who may never be able to fucking walk again. She may never get to see again either. How fucking unfair is that?! All because of a stupid son of a bitch, who has no heart!" She balls her hands into fist as she stares ahead at nothing. More than anything would she love to swing her fists right into Christopher's face - over and over until he dies.

The red-haired therapist slightly gasps at hearing that - she gently looks over at Nicky, who she can easily sense the rage boiling up inside of her. She carefully places a hand on top of one of her's, giving it a comforting pat. "I'm so sorry to hear that - how horrible that is for the two of you to have to go through. I surely hope everything works out for Lorna," she kindly says while sadly smiling at her. "Don't focus your energy on being angry towards the person who caused this - you need to focus it on looking after your friend. If she does lose the mobility of her legs and her eyesight, she's going to really need you. That's a lot for one person to handle - it'll be twice as hard for Lorna to handle. The police will deal with whoever caused the wreck, and everything will all work out."

* * *

Finally, a few hours later, Nicky is reunited with Lorna. She slowly enters her room, her heart aching when she hears quite sobs escaping from the petite woman. Her eyes glaze over with tears as she makes her way over to Lorna's beside, she softly looks down at her. "I'm here, baby. You're okay; you're gonna be okay!" She lovingly says, bending down to kiss the brunette's forehead. She gently runs her hand through her girlfriend's hair.

Lorna turns her head towards where the voice came from, wishing so badly that she could see her face. More tears run down her cheeks as she reaches out for the taller woman. "N-Nicky - I - I heard them talking...They-they said that I will never-never be able to feel my legs again - I'll never get to walk again! T-that can't be true," she cries, hating that she might not get to use her legs anymore. What kind of life would she have, being wheelchair bound forever? She didn't want to live like that.

Immediately Nicky scoops her into her arms, stroking her hair softly. She lovingly places Lorna's head against her chest as she kisses the top of her head in a soothing manner. It breaks her heart to hear how upset her girlfriend is and that it seems to be a reality that she will never be able to walk again. "It's gonna be okay, kid. Whatever happens, it will be okay. I'm here - I'll take care of you, no matter what. I will do whatever I can to help you through this; I love you so much, sweetie. We will get through this together," she soothes, gently rocking the petite woman in her arms. Whatever the outcome, she will do whatever she can to get them through it.


	13. Chapter 13

Lorna Morello will never walk again - at least not with _her_ legs. The scan results came back that she has no spinal injuries or paralyzation - her legs were cut off of oxygen supply, which is why she can no longer feel them. Due to how she was positioned after the car wreck, the door being trapped over top of her legs caused blood flow to stop. And the only way she will be able to walk again is if she agrees to have a double leg amputation. Of course when she was told of this, her initial reaction was to outright refuse it. If she couldn't walk while having legs, how on earth could she walk without them?

Looking over at her girlfriend - who's sitting beside her, stroking a hand through her hair - she sighs sadly. "I-I wanna walk again - but I - I don't want my legs to be cut off... How the hell is that gonna make me walk? It's impossible to walk without any legs," she says, tears pouring out of her brown eyes.

To see how upset the petite woman is breaks Nicky's heart. She walks over to her, bending down to press a gentle kiss atop her forehead. "I know you don't want to lose them, kid," she whispers, scooping Lorna's head into her hands. Peering softly into her eyes, Nicky lovingly kisses her, "But it's the only way you'll be able to walk again - which is what you _do_ want. And believe me, you will be able to walk without them - they have these things called prosthetic legs, haven't you heard of them? I mean they've only been out for the past, I don't know, several decades."

Sniffling, Lorna only shrugs. Sure she's heard of them, but that doesn't mean she wants them nor does that make her want to change her mind. She doesn't need any more reason to completely despise herself - or another reason that she needs to talk to her therapist. "Yes - I - I've heard of those. I just - I don't want - I -" Cries overtake her, making her unable to finish her sentence.

Filled with empathy and sorrow for her girlfriend, Nicky pulls the distraught woman into her arms. "Shh - calm down, kid. Everything's okay," she soothes, stroking her back in comforting circles. She loathes that Lorna has to deal with even more pain, and wishes so terribly that she could find Christopher and kill him with her bare hands. There was absolutely no reason for him to go and do this to her. "Whatever decision you make, I'll be right here to take care of you. Though I really think you should consider having the double amputation - I know you don't like that option, but in the long run it's the better choice. You'll be able to walk, of course after extensive physical therapy. Just think about it, okay?" She runs her hand softly through Lorna's wavy hair, kissing the top of her head, "I love you so much, baby."

* * *

A week passes and Nicky finds herself having to spend the majority of her day sitting in the waiting room. To her surprise, Lorna thought it over and reluctantly agreed to go ahead with the amputation of both her legs. It was a difficult choice for the petite brunette to make, but Nicky reassured her that everything would work out and she would be right there to take care of her. Of course she would - there's no way she would ever allow Lorna to suffer through any thing alone.

The first hour goes by slowly, leaving Nicky to feel restless. She gets up from her chair, aimlessly walking out of the room and down the hallway. She finds herself walking in the direction of Lorna's therapist's office, having no clue as to why, but that seems to be where her feet are taking her. When she arrives at it her hand instinctively reaches up to knock on the door.

After a few seconds wait, the door opens and staring out at her is a very confused, yet also concerned, Russian therapist. "Nicky - What can I do for you?" She slowly asks, looking the redhead over silently. It came as surprise to her when she heard a knock on her door - her last session ended an hour ago, and she hadn't been expecting another until tomorrow morning.

Nicky shrugs her shoulders - she has no idea why she even knocked on Doctor Reznikov's door, she wasn't even her therapist. And besides, she's never felt the need to talk to anyone about any of her problems. (Yet alone some like this red-haired woman standing in front of her.) "I - I honestly don't know. I just - I'm waiting for Lorna to get out of surgery, and I guess I just needed someone to talk to? I'm sorry, you're probably busy with patients or something. I don't mean to bother you, Doctor Reznikov," she rambles, looking down at the marble floor.

"Oh no, you're no bother at all," The red-haired woman says, motioning for Nicky to come in. She closes the door behind them and goes over to start a fresh batch of tea in the pot. "I just finished with my last patient of the day, so you're welcome to sit in here with me while you wait - I could use the company anyway; I have so much paperwork to fill out, it's ridiculous! And please call me Red, instead. That's what I have everyone call me these days, it's easier to pronounce than Doctor Reznikov." As the teapot starts to brew, she heads over to sit at her desk. T

The younger redhead can't help but lightly chuckle at her statement. "Hmm - Red, Doctor Red? Sure you didn't just get that nickname because of your hair?" She lightly jokes, gaining a laugh from her girlfriend's therapist. She sighs, feeling a lot less restless than she did earlier. Maybe talking to someone is exactly what Nicky needed right now - it would keep her from worrying to much about how Lorna's doing.

Laughing at Nicky's joke, the therapist heads back over to the beeping teapot. She gets two of the Dixie cups, from the pile sitting next to the kettle, and pours the tea into both of them. "Well I guess some of the younger patients felt that way - they always did comment on my hair color, now that I think about it," she says while bringing the cups over to her desk, handing one to Nicky. Taking a sip of her tea, she glances back across at the other. "What kind of surgery is Lorna having done?"

Reaching for her own cup, Nicky takes a slow sip of it. She looks at the Russian woman, studying her features closely and realizes the genuine concern that is showing on her face - it seems she does actually care for each of her patients. "She's having both of her legs amputated - the doctor said this is the only way for her to ever be able to regain the ability to walk again. It's so hard for her but she's so strong; she can handle this and in the long run she will be very happy with her choice." Not too sure that everything she said is entirely true, she lets out a quiet sigh. She hopes this isn't too hard for her girlfriend to deal with - otherwise she will feel beyond guilty for pushing her towards having the surgery.

"Wow, that's major," Red responds, her stern face glazed over in concern for her petite Italian patient. "She's going to need to endure a lot of physical therapy in order for her to be able to walk as well as she used to. Which means she will definitely need a support system to help her through everything - I assume that will be you, am I correct?" When she receives a nod in answer to her question, she reaches over to give a comforting pat to her hand, "Sounds like Lorna will be in good hands; she will manage well having you there to help her through it."

* * *

It's late evening when Nicky is awoken from her restless slumber in the hospital's waiting room. She immediately opens her eyes and rushes over to the doctor addressing her. He has her follow him to the recovery unit, where she can already hear her Lorna's heartrending cries. To hear such a thing brings a pang to Nicky's heart - she hates to see the woman she loves in so much agonizing pain. Her pace quickens the closer she gets to the cry, nearly running when she finally gets a glimpse of Lorna.

Once she finally makes it to Lorna's bedside, she cradles her head in her arms while stroking her cheeks comfortingly. Tears form in her eyes at how much it seems her girlfriend is suffering. "Shh," Nicky tries to gently soothe, "I'm here now; you're gonna be okay, kid." She kisses the top of her head lovingly, peering empathetically down at her. "What's hurting you, huh?"

Confused and disoriented - from the anesthesia - Lorna only cries harder, barely able to breathe at this point. She holds onto Nicky as tightly as she can, burying her face into the crook of her neck. Her body aches all over and she can't feel anything below her knee-joint, making her cry even more. "I-I, my-my legs - I can't - I can't feel them! I thought they were supposed to fix them," she chokes out in-between sobs.

Nicky pulls her closer, running a hand warmly through her short waves of hair. "I know, kid. They did fix you, though, I promise," she whispers softly, looking softly into her eyes. It's hard to see how much pain the smaller woman is in; it makes her heart ache for her - she would do anything to take it away from her. "They amputated your legs, Lorna. So that you can learn how to walk again and that's what you want, baby. I know right now it's the worst feeling in the world and you want them back, but eventually you'll start to feel better and you'll be so happy with the decision that you made. And I'll be right here with you, kid - I'll take care of you; I'll make sure you get through this." No matter how much she loves Lorna - which is more than she's loved any other person - she could never sugarcoat the truth and pretend that this is going to be easy when it's far from it.

"They - they wh-what?!" Her eyes wide and bewildered, Lorna slightly pulls away from the taller woman. "My legs - they - they cut off my legs?! No, no, no...you have to be mistaken, Nicky! How - how can I not have either of them? How is that possible?" She shakes her head violently while more and more tears come pouring down her cheeks. There's no way this can be true - she never agreed to having such an operation. Why would she willingly allow her legs to be taken away from her? Why would anyone?

Sighing sadly, Nicky gently lays Lorna's head down against her chest. She tries to calm her by continuously running her hand across the brunette's forehead. She leans down, pressing a soothing kiss to the top of her girlfriend's head, "No baby, I'm not mistaken. This was the only possible way for you to be able to walk again someday. I know it sounds impossible to you - walking when you have no legs - but it's really not. But you don't need to worry about the right now, kid. You need to just calm down and rest." Her voice is soft against Lorna's ear as she holds her tight. "I'm right here; I won't leave ya, kid, I just want you to rest a while."

* * *

Late the next morning - after Lorna's been brought back to her room and has had a good night's rest (sleeping off the anesthetic) - she awakens to the sight of Nicky's standing over her, just staring down at her and stroking her cheeks in the most tender of ways. She looks up at her while giving her a tiny frail smile. She reaches her hand up to gently touch Nicky's cheek, noticing the faint tear stains on them. Slightly frowning, Lorna cups the redhead's face and brings it closer to her own, pressing their lips together in a light kiss. "I love you, Nicky," she softly says.

Nicky feels her heart flutter as she lovingly peers into her girlfriend's dark eyes, "I love you too, kid. I love you so much." She pulls her in for another gentle kiss, caressing her jawline with tenderness. "How's your pain this morning? Are you feelin' a tiny bit better?" Her eyes worriedly search for any clues of distress Lorna may be in. She knows the woman will try to hide it from her, but she can always sense when something isn't quite right with her.

Ignoring the question, Lorna wraps her arms tight around her girlfriend's neck - nearly making her lay in the bed beside her. She lightly runs her hand across the skin of Nicky's chin, leaving tiny goosebumps among-st it. "You - you don't understand how much you mean to me, Nicky... You haven't left my side since you found me on that bridge - you have no clue how deeply I appreciate that. I've never had such a stable relationship or person in my life before and - and it's - it's a great feeling. You're more of a family than my own family is - you don't hurt me or leave me when my mental condition gets out of hand. You're all I have, Nicky - and all I really need," she presses a warm kiss to the redhead's cheek, squeezing her tight.

"Lorna," Nicky softly says, pulling her into a soothing embrace, "I made a promise to always take care of you and protect you - I won't ever go back on it, kid. You're the most important person in my life - aside from my sister - and I love you so damn much. I could never leave you - you're something special, Lorna; you make me a better person." She kisses the top of her girlfriend's head before gently placing it against her chest as she tangles her fingers within the other's brown hair. "You better tell me if you're in pain - I refuse to let you suffer in silence, kid. I mean it; I don't want you hiding your pain from me. I'm here to help and take care of you, when you're hurting you tell me so I can properly care for you, baby."

Nodding, Lorna snuggles closer into the warmth of her girlfriend's protective embrace. She closes her eyes, taking in the security she feels from having such a loving and strong woman as Nicky in her life. Nicky has done so much for her in such a short amount of time - she's done more than anyone in her family has ever done for her. She's helped her with her mental illness, stopped her from stalking and fantasizing about Christopher, and has shown her what it's like to truly be loved. What more could she ask for in her life?

But then it hits her, her eyes flutter open and she stares wide-eyed up at Nicky. "I - I need you to - to call my sister, Franny, I need you to call her and ask her to come down here...Please, Nicky? I just I need to see her, I haven't talked to her in months and - and I miss her so much. I know, I know she's furious with me for what happened with our father but she can't be mad at me forever, right? I mean she's just - she's just -" All of a sudden tears come rushing down her face as she grips tightly onto her girlfriend's shoulders, looking frantically into her eyes.

Concerned with Lorna's behavior, Nicky lays her back down against her while pressing a comforting kiss to her head. She wraps the blanket around them, staring warmly down at the woman she loves. "Of course, kid. I'll call her, and let her know that you miss her. But I don't want her to come down here unless I know for sure that she won't do anything to hurt you. I don't want her to come here and yell at you for no reason. You don't need to be dealing with stress like that, especially not right now sweetie. If she wants to come and see you, she has to promise that she will only be here to comfort you."

* * *

A persistent knock on the door wakes Lorna from her peaceful slumber. She looks across at Nicky, silently asking her to let the person in - it's not as if she can get up, herself, and walk to it. Fortunately the redhead takes the hint and goes over to open the door. Standing on the other side is Franny Morello, with her long brown hair up in a messy bun and her blue eyes worriedly finding their way over towards her younger sister.

To see that her older sister cared enough to actually come visit her brings a fresh batch of tears to Lorna's dark brown eyes. She reaches her arms out for her, in an effort to let the other know she's happy to see her. In all honesty, Lorna didn't think her sister would even care what's been going on with her - not after the last time they ran into each other. So the fact that she would go out of her way to drive down to the hospital to check on her really warmed the younger woman's heart.

Franny cautiously and slowly walks closer to her sister's bed, staring down at her with deep concern. "What - What happened to you Lorna?" She asks in a shaky voice, gently bending down to pull her in for a comforting embrace. Noticing how much weaker her sister seems, it brings a bout of guilt to her light eyes - she feels absolutely awful for what she said to Lorna the last time they saw each other.

"Well uh, uhm, we - Nicky and I were going on a tiny road-trip, but didn't quite make it; we got into a car wreck," Lorna timidly says, glancing nervously up at the older woman. She debates whether or not to tell her what exactly caused the wreck - she doesn't want to cause her sister to become angry with her again. "And now - now I have no legs...The doctor told me that is the only way I'll be able to regain my ability to walk. I'm-I'm really fucked up now, Franny!"

More guilt washes over the taller woman as she continues to hold her sister. She gently runs a hand through Lorna's short hair, peering down at her sorrowfully. "No - you're not fucked up, Lorna; I should have never told you that! I'm so sorry for being such a terrible sister to you... And I'm even more sorry for letting dad insult you the way he does!" Franny tearfully apologizes, cupping her sister's face in her hands as she stare sympathetically into her eyes. "What - How did you end up getting in a wreck? It must have been really bad for you to end up having to need your legs amputated..."

The smaller brunette feels her heart begin to race - she hadn't expected her sister to ask about it. And now she loathed having to tell her the reason; she knew how much Franny hated Christopher and the ridiculous fantasies Lorna made up of him. She bows her head down, her bottom lip faintly quivering, "Christopher - he, he was tailgating and then slammed right into us. He wants me dead, Fran!" Tears stream down her cheeks as she keeps her eyes focused on the ground.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Franny looks down at Lorna with anger starting to take over, "I thought you were done stalking him, Lorna! Why are you doing this to yourself?! Do you want to fuckin' end up in prison or murdered for Christ's sake? You've cost yourself your legs, you need to leave Christopher the fuck alone. He's not worth your damn life, is he?!" Her voice continues to get louder, causing more tears to fall from the smaller woman's eyes. She sighs, grabbing her face in her hands and holds it so that they're forced to look directly at each other. "I'm sorry - I'm not mad at you, I'm just - I don't want you to end up dead! And it seems that almost fucking happened! I know you love Christopher and think he's exactly the man you always dreamt of, but that's not reality...He's not a nice person, and he certainly doesn't deserve someone like you, Lorna."

"I know, I know that, Franny...I haven't stalked him in months! I swear," Lorna cries out, frustration clearly evident in her tone. She would do anything to finally be rid of Christopher - the fantasies weren't worth all this pain she'd been dealt. "And this - this is the second time he's tried to kill me in the past two weeks...that's actually one of the reasons Nicky and I chose to go on a road trip - he had just been released from jail and I didn't want to take any chances. Guess that didn't work though." Tears still run out from her eyes as she glance up at her older sister, hoping she believes her - she has no reason to lie about this.

Nicky - who's been silently sitting and observing the entire conversation - feels the need to step in. She refuses to allow her girlfriend's sister to continue to accuse her of stalking. "Lorna hasn't seen or spoken to Christopher since before the two of us became friends, and that was several months ago now. He has no reason to try to kill her - she's done nothing to him. He's just a fucking piece of shit, who deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his damn life. He's caused so much unforgivable pain to this beautiful, sweet woman," she angrily says, but gives a loving glance over towards Lorna. "I'm glad the two of you are able to work out your problems, but I think it's time Lorna gets some rest. Her doctor wants her to start physical therapy tomorrow, so she needs as much rest as she can get."

Nodding her head gratefully, Lorna gives her sister another glance and pulls her in for a quick hug. "Thanks for coming down - I really have missed ya, Fran. And I miss my little nephew too, tell him I love him and whenever I get outta here I'll come visit him." She gently runs a hand through the long waves of the older woman's thick hair before pressing a sisterly kiss to her cheek.

Franny smiles sadly, giving the petite woman a loving squeeze. She's beyond thankful that her sister wasn't killed from the crash and pleased to rebuild their relationship. "I'll let him know - he'll be so happy to see you. Maybe the next time I come to see you, I'll bring him along - better than letting him stay home with dad. I love you Lorna; give me a call tomorrow after your physical therapy and let me know how it went!" She kisses the top of her head soothingly before releasing the embrace and exiting the room.

* * *

The next afternoon, a nurse, along with Nicky, takes Lorna down for her physical therapy session. She was given an extra dose of pain medicine that morning to help keep it down during the session - they felt the sooner she started the better she'll do. That's not what she felt though - she would rather stay in bed for the day; after-all it's only the second day after her operation. And even with the extra dose of medication, she was still in a considerable amount of pain.

When they finally arrived at the room where her physical therapy session would be held, the nurse brought her over to a man dressed in a suit, who was busy writing something down on a piece of paper. Once he finished what he was writing, he looked up at them and gave a friendly smile, "You must be my next patient - Lorna Morello, is it?" Receiving a nod in response, he smiles once again and kindly shakes her hand. "Well it's nice to meet you; I'm Dr. Bennett, your physical therapist for the next several months."

She sighs, looking at him with a hint of defiance in her eyes. She hates that she has to endure months of therapy before she can even walk on her own - how can she not regret her decision? Not only does she have to go to therapy for her mental condition but now she also has to go through therapy for her legs - rather her nonexistent legs. "What do you mean several months?! Surely you meant weeks, right?" Frustration is clearly evident within Lorna's tone as she speaks.

"No, I definitely do mean months," he states, giving her a sympathetic look, "Lorna, you've lost both of your legs. You have to understand how major that is and that you need extensive physical therapy in order for you to learn how to walk again. I'd say it'll probably be a good six to nine months before you can start to walk on your own. It's a long process, but it's worth it in the end and you'll be happy with the results." The dark haired man jots a few notes down before getting up from his desk and taking a hold of Lorna's wheelchair and pushing her over to a display of the many different types of prosthetic legs that they carry.

Clearly annoyed, Lorna folds her arms over chest and glares angrily ahead at the display. She knows she should be grateful that all she lost was her legs and not her life, but she just couldn't come to terms with it - at least not right yet. "Six to nine months?! Are you fucking serious?! That's almost the rest of this year! No way am I coming here for that long! Hell no," she seethes, refusing to look at the therapist. There's no way she's going to be spending the rest of her year in physical therapy. It can't be that hard to learn how to walk with fake legs - can it?

Sensing how tense and worked up the petite woman is getting, Nicky walks closer to her and grabs a hold of her hand. She runs her thumb tenderly over Lorna's knuckles, staring softly into her brown eyes. "Calm down, kid. Everything will be okay, don't get yourself worked up over this. I know it sucks having to go through this, but I'll be right here to help you." She presses a comforting kiss to the top of her girlfriend's head, hoping to bring a sense of calming to her.

Taking in a deep breath, Lorna groans. She glances back over towards the doctor and wonders if he's going to force her to use a pair of these prosthetic legs today. He wouldn't make her do something so drastic, only a day after surgery, would he? "Do - do I have to - to wear these already?!" She worriedly questions - not sure she's ready to do this, her pain is still quite severe.

Giving a light-hearted laugh and shake of the head, Doctor Bennett turns to face his patient. "Definitely not today, Lorna! I just figured it'd be a good idea to show you what you'll be eventually using to help you walk again. That way you get used to them now, and won't be so shocked when we get to that part, down the road. What we're going to work on first is how well you can balance - using a pair of crutches and holding onto parallel bars for added support. Do you think you're up for that today? I know it's only been a couple days since your operation but the sooner we start on this, the quicker we can get you to being on your feet again."

"I - I guess," Lorna apprehensively nods her head. She's not entirely sure how well she'll do trying to balance without having any legs. She looks up at Nicky, who gives her a reassuring smile and gently strokes her shoulders. Having the redhead by her side, especially through this, makes her feel a bit more at ease and more confident in attempting the therapy.

A few minutes later, he brings her over to where the parallel bars are. He grabs a pair of crutches, that are laying against the wall, and hands them to Lorna. Carefully and very slowly, he helps her to get up from the wheelchair. Both he and Nicky assist her towards where the parallel bars are located, having her hold onto them as she also leans onto the crutches. "Does that feel okay? Do you think you can hold yourself up or do you need someone to help you?" He asks, still kind of holding onto her so she doesn't fall.

Lorna looks at him, then over to Nicky, silently pleading for her help. She feels as if she'll fall at any second; something certainly doesn't feel right as she stand there holding onto the railing. Pain surges through what remains of her legs causing her eyes to well up with a fountain of tears. "It - It hurts," she shakily cries out, trying her hardest not to fall.

Her heart breaking, Nicky rushes to her side and wraps her arms tight around her waist in an effort to steady her. She gently presses a kiss to the top of her head, "I've got ya, baby; you're okay. I won't let you fall." She can feel Lorna's body trembling against hers, holding her tighter and looking back towards the therapist. Her face is stern with a slight amount of anger, "I think she's had enough for today, doctor Bennett. For crying out loud, she just had surgery the other day - she's hurting and should be resting. Forcing her to do this, which she is clearly not ready for, will only harm her more."

* * *

Lorna lies in her bed, exhausted after her therapy session, and looks tearfully over at her girlfriend. She's not happy with the progress she's made - she should have pushed herself harder, instead of giving up and making the woman she loves disappointed in her. "I'm - I'm sorry, Nicky," she sniffles, burying her face into the blankets that surround her. Upset with herself for barely making any progress, she can't stop the tears that pour out from her eyes.

Shaking her head, Nicky gently lays beside Lorna and scoops her into her arms. She runs her hand tenderly through her wavy brown hair, peering softly down at her. "You have no reason to be sorry, kid. You did really well today! Why are you crying, sweetie?" She holds the petite woman tight in her arms, loathing to see her so distraught. Pressing a soft kiss to her head, she worriedly waits for a response from her.

"No - I, all I did was stand there - which I barely could do for a damn minute by myself! I - I'm pathetic, Nicky...I couldn't even stand up on my own without feeling like I was gonna collapse on myself," Lorna sobs out, gripping tightly onto the redhead's shirt. "How am I ever gonna walk again?" Tears are streaming down her cheeks as she desperately looks up at her girlfriend's brown eyes.

Hearing Lorna beat herself up over it makes Nicky's heart ache. She cups her head softly, bringing it closer to her face, and kisses her lovingly on the forehead, "Lorna - today was only your first day! And you only had the surgery two days ago! You did amazing for your first day, kid. Please stop being so hard on yourself - that won't help you." Her thumbs tenderly caress each of Lorna's cheeks, before she softly lays her head against her chest and wraps the blanket around them. "You're not pathetic, not even fucking close. Stop the damn negativity - it's not doing you any good, kid. You will be able to walk again, one day, but you need to take it slow. Don't you dare try to overdo it - I don't want you hurtin' yourself even more," she softly says, in a firm tone. Gently she presses another kiss down to the brunette's forehead, pulling her closer to her own body. "I love you, Lorna. Get some rest though. You look absolutely exhausted, baby."


	14. Chapter 14

Early the next morning, Nicky is woken to the sound of her name being called. She opens her eyes immediately and stares over at her girlfriend - deep bouts of worry embedded in her facial expression. When she notices that Lorna isn't in distress, but has a cheerful grin on her face, the worry washes away and replaced with her own smile. She hasn't seen the other smile in weeks now, so this made her heart fill with warmth.

The brunette lovingly reaches over to wrap her arms around Nicky in an embrace. "While you were asleep, your sister's doctor stopped by," she says, a glowing smile on her face as she stare warmly up in her brown eyes, "She's doing very well, and they're gonna send her home this afternoon." Hearing that her girlfriend's sister - who also happens to be her friend - is finally able to leave the hospital brings a bout of happiness and relief to her. She knows how much it hurt Nicky to watch her sister suffer for so long, and now it would finally end.

Pulling Lorna closer to her body, Nicky smiles and presses a kiss to her head. Finally, it seemed life was starting to get back to normal, she thinks. She's glad to hear how well her younger sister is doing - she's been through enough pain for one lifetime. "That's wonderful news - Lilly's had enough suffering for one life; she deserves to finally get to move on with it. I wish you had the same good luck as her right now, though, kid," Nicky looks softly down at Lorna, cupping her face in her hands and kissing her warmly on the lips. She gently runs her hand through the smaller woman's hair, smiling lovingly. "Guess that means I'll have to leave you by yourself for a few hours... Not something I want to do, but I need to make sure Lilly gets home and settled in okay. You understand right, kid?" Receiving a nod in response, she presses another tender kiss to the brunette's lips.

"Of course I do, Nicky," Lorna smiles reassuringly, running her hand gently through the long red locks of hair that belongs to her girlfriend. "She's your sister; she needs you! Besides, I might see if Franny can come down with my nephew. So it all works out." She cups Nicky's face in her hands while stroking her jawline lightly with the tips of her fingers. Slowly their faces inch closer and their lips crash together in a deep, loving kiss.

Nicky wraps her arms tighter around her waist, pulling her as close to her as she can get her. Lovingly her hands run down the brunette's body - their kiss only getting deeper and deeper, so much so that the two are now lying down on Lorna's bed in the midst of a full-on make-out session. The redhead continues to run her hands up and down her girlfriend's body, not able to contain herself but makes sure not to go too far - she knows that a hospital isn't the best place to have sex with the woman she loves.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a sharp pain streaks through Lorna's body - almost near where her legs would be. She grabs onto Nicky's shirt, squeezing tightly as she screams out in agony. "Make it stop! Please make it stop!" Her eyes fill with tears, she holds tighter onto the taller woman - hoping that will somehow take the pain away. Unfortunately, it doesn't and all she can do is cry out. She's never felt such a horrific sensation as this.

Immediately, Nicky wraps her in a soothing embrace. She lovingly places Lorna's head against her chest and presses a warm kiss to the top of her head. Staring softly down at her, she begins to worry, "What hurts, kid? Tell me what's hurting you and I'll see what I can do to stop it. Shhh, try to calm down - I'm right here; I've got ya, baby." She peers down at her, her brown eyes soft with empathy as she strokes her forehead tenderly.

Barely able to speak from how hard she's crying, Lorna points to where her legs used to be and squeezes her eyes shut. "It-it feels like - like my -my legs are on fire! Please - Please make it stop, Nicky...It hurts so much," tears are streaming down her cheeks as she looks up at her girlfriend with fear in her dark eyes. Why is she feeling pain in a spot where there's nothing there? She doesn't have her legs anymore, so why does it feel like someone poured gasoline on them?

Tears form in the redhead's eyes as she sense the amount of pain Lorna is in. She pulls her closer, kissing the top of her head as tenderly as she can. "I'm so sorry, kid - You don't deserve to be hurting like this...You don't deserve to be hurting at all!" She looks down at her, running her hand lovingly across her forehead. "Close your eyes and try to sleep, baby. I'm right here, I'm not gonna leave you. But I think the only thing that can take your pain away is to get some rest, kid. If you're still in this much pain when you wake up, we'll get the doctor to give you something. Okay?" She traces her hand lovingly down Lorna's cheek, giving her a soothing kiss on the head, "I love you so much - You're gonna be okay; I promise, sweetie." It breaks her heart to see the woman she loves in such an agonizing amount of pain, and more than anything does she wish she could take it all away from her. If she could flip back time, to right before they left on the road trip, she would and also would have never suggested they go on it. Yet now there's nothing she can do but wait and hope that her girlfriend heals from this - that she is able to regain her ability to walk, and her pain lessens each and every day.

* * *

Several hours passed, the morning slowly moving into early afternoon. That meant it was nearly time for Nicky to go get her sister and bring her home. The thought of finally having her sister out of the hospital definitely brought a strong feeling of relief to wash over her - she loathed to watch any of the people she loved suffer. Yet, it also made her sad to have to leave her girlfriend for the next few hours. She especially hated to leave her after the severe amount of pain she witnessed her suffer not too long ago. Hopefully, though, Lorna's older sister would come and look after her for the afternoon. At least that's what Nicky had hoped for; she refused to allow her girlfriend to suffer alone.

After saying goodbye to Lorna - and making sure to remind her to call no matter what the problem is - Nicky heads out of her room and down the hallway. The doctor informed her that they would have her sister waiting near the entrance of the hospital, in a wheelchair, and that she needs to pull her car up as to make it easier for the nurse to help Lilly into it. That's just what the redhead does; her eyes eagerly scanning for where her sister is once she finally parks her car near the entrance. And when she sees her, she's beyond shocked to see how much her stomach has grown - blatantly obvious to know that she's pregnant.

"Happy to be finally goin' home, kid?" Nicky asks, once her younger sister is situated in the seat across from her. She starts the car, slowly pulling out of the parking lot and glances gently over at the blonde. A comforting smile spreads on her face; she's grateful to see things are finally starting to go right for her baby sister. "You look good pregnant, Lil," she states, reaching over to pat her hand.

Turning her head to peer across at the older woman, Lilly nods in response. She's beyond thankful to finally be getting the heck out of the hospital and happy to get back to living her life again. At least now she has nothing to worry about - no evil father, no neglectful mother, just herself...and the tiny human that's growing inside her. "Well, I've only got four more months until he's due," she blurts out, a small smile forming on her face. When the doctor performed her last ultrasound she was informed that she'll be giving birth to a baby boy - and as far as anyone can tell, he doesn't seem to have any apparent abnormalities.

Her mouth gaped open a tiny bit, Nicky tries to think of something to say to that. She's not sure having a boy is really going to help her sister cope - he'll probably resemble Paolo, and she hates what that will do to Lilly. Staring across at the younger woman, a worried expression covers Nicky face, "Are you happy you're having a son, Lil? You're not worried that he might look like Paolo?" She gently reaches her free hand over to grab a hold of her sister's and squeezes it softly in her own.

Sure, Lilly would have preferred to be carrying a girl - as to not be constantly reminded of how her child was conceived - but there's nothing she can do about it now; all she can do is accept him and hope for the best. "I mean I'm not thrilled over it, but he's a baby. An innocent baby who didn't ask for any of this! I'm _terrified_ of how he'll look when he's born, and that he'll have some terrible genetic disorder...but he's _my_ baby and I want him to be loved. I want to be a mother to him - a real and true mother; one who actually takes care of their children, who loves their children unconditionally, and who would never put any other person before them." She looks down at her rounded baby bump, and sighs sadly. Most people would consider a baby such as hers a mistake, an abomination, something that shouldn't be allowed to live. Not Lilly, though, all she saw was an innocent child who would bring so much love to the world.

"You're a strong woman, my sweet sister," Nicky gently speaks out, giving a warm smile over towards her. No matter what obstacles or hardships that are thrown at her sister, she always manages to pull through them and with such a positive outlook too. "You will be a great mother to him, kid. So much better than Marka could ever even dream to be. You are a kind, loving young woman; you have a heart of gold, Lilly. And please don't think that you have to do any of this alone...I'm here for you, I'll help you. I mean he'll be my nephew, after all, so whatever I can do to help you with him, all you have to do is let me know."

* * *

"Auntie Lona, Auntie Lona!" Lorna awakens to the sound of her nephew's squeaky voice calling for her. She immediately opens her eyes and smiles when she sees him come running to her. He jumps up on the bed and wraps his arms tightly around her neck, looking up at her with his big, innocent eyes. "Why you hewe, auntie Lona? Mommy says you got huwt! Whewe's youw owie?!" He observantly stares at her face, trying to find any scratches - thinking she fell down, and that's how she hurt herself.

Wrapping her own arms around the little boy, Lorna laughs lightly while pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head. "Well, buddy, I don't really have an owie - or at least one that you can see. I hurt my legs really bad, and the only way I could get them fixed was to have a doctor remove them," she tries to explain it in a way that her three-year-old nephew can understand. She strokes his thick, dark curls, staring down at him with a loving smile. It brings her heart so much joy to finally be able to see him again - he's always been such a positive influence in her life and what's kept their family from completely falling apart.

Julian's brown eyes go wide with confusion as he holds on tighter to her neck. In his young mind he can't even begin to understand what it means to have one's legs removed. "Doctow took legs? Whewe he put them, aunt Lona?" He innocently asks, his dark eyes peering into her own.

Running a hand through his hair, the Italian woman smiles gently at him. "He had to throw them out, buddy. They weren't working anymore so I couldn't use them, and that's why I don't have them now." Lorna peers down at the little boy, her heart swelling with how precious and sweet her nephew is. She couldn't have asked for a better one - he's got such a big heart for a child his age.

Franny - who's been sitting in the chair beside her bed - watches the heartwarming moment between the two with a warm smile on her face. She knows how much her son adores his aunt Lorna, and how much she adores him - making this moment even more precious for her to watch. She's pleased that her relationship with her younger sister is finally improving, and hopes that one day it will be the same as it was when they were younger. "Julian, be gentle with aunt Lorna. I know you're excited to see her, she is too, but she just had an operation a few days ago - she's in a good amount of pain, sweetheart. You need to be careful around her," Franny firmly speaks to him, making her way towards the bed and staring lovingly down at her sister.

"Oh it's okay, Fran," Lorna softly says, giving a reassuring smile to the older woman. "I'm not in too much pain right now." And just as she says that she feels another strong pain shoot through where her legs used to be. Her hands grip tightly onto the sides of her bed while she squeezes her eyes shut, desperately trying not to scream out in pain. It's proving to be difficult to hold in her cries - she feels as if someone has rolled her body in scorching hot water and then poured a pitcher of hot coffee on her.

Concern very evident on the older woman's face, she quickly pulls Julian off of her, placing him on the floor, and reaches her hand down to softly caress her sister's forehead. "What's wrong, Lorna? Are you okay?" Franny worriedly questions, feeling her heart break at the amount of pain Lorna seems to be in. Gently she scoops the petite woman into her arms, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "It's okay, Lorna. You don't have to hold in your pain! Let it out, sweetheart; your big sister is here to take care of you."

* * *

Finally home Lilly can't help but smile as she walks into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She gets a mug out from one of the cabinets, setting it down beside the brewing coffee, and goes to have a seat on the couch while she waits. Looking down at her stomach, she reaches her hand to stroke it and feels something flutter underneath her touch. Her smile grows, "Hello there, little guy. You really are growing in there, aren't you?" She's never felt anything quite like the kicking of her unborn child.

Nicky silently stands in the kitchen, observing her with an astonished expression on her face. She's always had a sense that her younger sister would be a mother one day, but never imagined it would be due to such a tragic circumstance. And what surprises her even more is how well Lilly's handled the situation - how she's overcome the horrific abuse her father has repeatedly caused her. How her baby sister is content on birthing her own father's child, and spending the next eighteen years raising him - it all overwhelms Nicky with deep admiration and love for her.

When the blonde lifts her head and notices her, Nicky smiles softly while making her way to sit beside her on the couch. "You feel him movin' around in there, kid?" She gently wraps an arm around her sister's shoulder, giving her a comforting embrace.

"I do - he's moving around like a fish in there. He might be a future swimmer," Lilly lightly laughs, stroking her stomach as she feels the fluttering of her baby all around it. Seconds later her facial expression turns serious as she looks up at her older sister and frowns slightly. "Is Lorna doing okay? I haven't seen her in so long - the last time I saw her was when that Christopher guy came here and tried to kill her. He kept saying how she wouldn't leave him alone and all this insane stuff... I mean, those two were dating weren't they? That's what Lorna always told me at work."

The redhead is a bit taken aback to hear her sister ask about her, but also feels her heart fill warmth. Of course Lilly would ask - she's always been such a compassionate human being. Her eyes soften as she peer down at her sister, pulling her into a protective embrace. "Well, Lil... She's in the hospital, he tried to kill her again a couple of weeks ago. He wrecked into us while we were in the middle of going on a road trip. And the two of them were never really dating, kid. Lorna has a mental illness and it causes her to create these elaborate fantasies, which she full-heartedly believes in. She apparently had been stalking him for the past few years - though she stopped right after she and I became friends. That's the reason he's tried so hard to kill her, but he will never succeed - not if I have anything to do about it," she softly says, pressing a motherly kiss to the top of her sister's head. She hates having to be the one to tell her this, but doesn't want her sister to be lied to any longer - even though it was completely unintentional.

Shocked, Lilly stares up at the older woman with her mouth slightly hanging open. How could she not have seen the signs of such an illness in her friend - whom she'd worked with for the past two years? "She - What? How bad was she hurt in the accident? What about you, Nicky? Were you hurt? Oh God - I'm sorry to hear all this! I mean I should have just stuck that knife right through him when I had the chance, then he wouldn't have had the chance at another attempt...He must be a horrible person to want to kill her! I mean Lorna's always been such a nice and friendly person to talk to. I can't believe I never noticed anything wrong with her. I should have been a better friend to her..." She can fill her eyes already starting to tear up at the thought. Sympathy pours over her at how much this woman has had to suffer, and wonders what more has been brought to her due to the car accident she was in.

Nicky shakes her head, lifting Lilly's chin so that their eyes are met with one another, "No, Lil - don't even think to put any of the blame on yourself. There was absolutely no way for you to know that Lorna was suffering with a mental condition! She's very well at hiding it from people, and besides, you have had you're own share of problems to deal with. And don't try to make what happened with the car crashing your fault - he fucking hurt you, kid! He made you fall so hard that you hit your head and had to be fucking put in an induced coma. This is all Christopher's fault - he is the reason the two most important people in my life have had to suffer through so much fucking pain. But instead of his being blamed, you and Lorna choose to blame yourselves. I'm not letting you do that anymore - either of you. This is all on fucking Christopher and he's the one who should feel like shit about himself - he's the one who should have a brain bleed and have his damn legs cut off. Not my baby sister and my precious girlfriend." She lovingly kisses the top of the younger woman's head, pulling her close. "Lorna's gonna be okay, she just had to have her legs amputated. And it's difficult for her, but she's so strong - just like you are - I know she'll get through it, I'll be with her through all of it. I'm fine though, kid. Don't worry about me, Lil." She smiles reassuringly down at her sister, giving her a gentle squeeze. The last thing the blonde needs is to be worrying and stressing over things that she doesn't need to.

"They cut her legs off? Both of them? That's horrible! Must have been a pretty terrible accident for she to have to lose both her legs," Lilly says, shaking her head sadly. She can hardly imagine how awful it must be for anyone to have deal with such a tragic outcome. Sighing quietly, the blonde gets up from her seat and makes her way back into the kitchen to fix herself a much needed cup of coffee. As she holds the steaming mug in her hands, she stares over at her older sister. She knows how much the other woman cares for Lorna and that she's going to need to spend the majority of her time looking after her, which is why Lilly's made the decision to start searching for own place. "I think it's time I start looking into buying my own apartment - You have Lorna to take care of and I'm going to be having a baby soon. This place would be extremely cramped with three adults and a baby, so it's for the best. Besides, I can't live with my sister forever; I need to start working on my own life so I can be a mother to my son."

Hearing the younger woman say that brings a few tears to Nicky's eyes. She can't believe how strong of a person her sister has become - never did she imagine her to come this far, not after the severe amount of abuse she was put through for nearly all of her life. Wrapping her in a loving embrace, she presses a kiss to the top of her head, "If that's really what you want, then go for it. But you don't need to rush into anything, kid. I'll still be here to help you with whatever you need. Don't think that I'm gonna forget about you just because I've got a girlfriend now. You're still my baby sister and I'll never stop caring about you, Lil. This is your home; you can stay for as long as you need." Her brown eyes peer softly, yet firmly, into Lilly's blue. She's glad to see her sister doing so well, but doesn't want her to feel she has to do this all on her own.

* * *

It's late evening when Lorna hears the door of her room slowly creak open. For a minute, her heart starts to race and she pulls the covers up to hide her face - she fears that Christopher has come to kill her once and for all. So when it's Nicky who enters the room, making her way over, she breathes a sigh of relief. A smile slowly spreads across her face as she reaches out to pull the taller woman in for a much awaited embrace.

Wrapping her arms tight around Nicky's neck, Lorna softly presses a kiss to her lips. She lightly traces her hands across her girlfriend's soft cheeks, giving her a loving smile. "How's your sister? She must be happy to finally be outta the hospital, right?" When she sees a tiny flicker of sadness cross Nicky's big brown eyes, she looks at her with concern while stroking her hair lovingly. "Nicky - what's the matter? You look like you're about to cry," her voice soft as she cups the redhead's face in her hands, drawing comforting circles around her cheeks.

"Nothing's the matter, kid," Nicky immediately replies, pulling the smaller woman close to her. She presses a loving kiss to her head and places a soft smile on her face. "Lilly seems to be doing really well, and is very pregnant. She's having a boy and seems to be fine with that, but I'm not too sure how that'll work out for her. He's most likely going to very closely resemble that sickening father of hers, and remind her every day how he was created. And she'll end up suffering in silence, cause' God-forbid she let out any of her damn pain. On top of that she's decided she wants to move out, which means she really will be suffering silently. Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful that she's grown to be such a strong, independent person, but she's still my baby sister and I don't want her to feel that she has to move out in an effort to not be a burden... Because that's how she's always felt, she's always felt that she's been a burden to me and that's nothing but a bunch of nonsense." A bit embarrassed to feel a few tears trickling down her cheeks, she quickly wipes them away.

To see Nicky nearly break down in front of her - something that's hardly ever happened - Lorna can feel her heart breaking inside of her. She looks up at her, her brown eyes filled with compassion and love, as she uses her thumb to lovingly wipe away her tears, "Sounds to me that you're sad to see your baby sister growing into such a mature young woman. And that's perfectly okay, Nicky - you're allowed to be sad; she's your sister that you've basically taken care of for her entire life. You're not ready for her to live on her own, are you? Lilly's ready but you're not." Her eyes glaze over in sympathy for her beloved girlfriend; she wraps her arms tighter around her, giving her a comforting squeeze.

Nicky sighs; maybe that's what she's feeling. She has pretty much spent all of her life raising her own sister - so it makes sense that she's a bit upset to hear that the young woman is ready to live on her own. "I - I guess you're kinda right, kid. I mean I've basically been the one who's raised her - my own fucking sister, and I had to be a damn mother to her because our own couldn't give a shit," she says a bit harshly and instantly tries to wash away her anger - she's not in the mood to think about how terrible of a person that woman was to them. Instead she pulls Lorna closer to her, so close that she's now lying beside her and running her hand through her hair. Her hands trace lovingly down the smaller woman's body, her eyes peer warmly down at hers. "Let's talk about something happier - How was getting to see your nephew?"

Still concerned for the redhead, Lorna stares up at her firmly, "Hey - this is a two-sided relationship, Nicky. You don't have to hide any of your emotions from me; I want to be here for you just as much as you do for me. So you're hiding things from me isn't going to work. I know you're not big into sharing your own problems with others, but I'm your girlfriend for fuck's sake - I love you more than anyone and I want to be able to help you, the same as you've done for me. But how can I help you when you hide things from me?" She lets out a sad sigh, hoping she doesn't cause a fight between them. She just wants to make sure that Nicky knows she doesn't always have to be so tough. Her eyes pour into the other's, love very evident within them.

"You're right, kid; you are. But right now, I just wanna lay here and hold you. We'll talk about heavy stuff tomorrow - right now, let's just enjoy each other," Nicky softly brushes her lips over Lorna's, pulling her on top of her and running her hands tenderly down her sides. She looks lovingly into the brunette's sparkling eyes, smiling happily at her. Her hands continue to stroke her girlfriend's frail body, leaving her feeling tingly and warm inside. "I love you more than anyone, too, Lorna. You're my soulmate - something I never actually believed in until I met you."

Concern fades away into compassion as Lorna beams up at her beautiful girlfriend. She cups her cheeks, pressing their lips together in a tender kiss. "I've always known I had a soulmate waiting for me, and I am so happy it's you," her lips press against the soft skin of Nicky's forehead while she reaches her hands to trace tiny circles around on her stomach. "You're a beautiful, loving woman, Nicky, and you have such a big heart - even though you try to hide it most of the time. I couldn't see my life ever going back to a time where you're not in it." She wraps her arms tighter around her girlfriend's neck, resting her head in the crook of it as she lovingly stares up at her - her finger tips lightly stroking the side of her neck.

Nicky feels her heart melting inside of her; she pulls Lorna closer to her body, giving her a soft peck on the lips. She runs her hand lovingly through the short waves of her lover's hair, staring tenderly down into her eyes. A glowing smile forms on her face as she continues to pull her closer, "We should get married some day, don't ya think? I mean I know I can't see myself spending the rest of my life with anyone but you, kid. You're my heart and soul - I want to spend forever with you, Lorna. I love you so fucking much!" She can feel Lorna's head enthusiastically nodding against her chest, and her smile grows bigger. Kissing the top of her head warmly, Nicky beams softly down at the woman she loves. "My sweet, precious Lorna - you make my heart melt with love for you, baby."


	15. Chapter 15

As summer transforms into fall, Lorna's a quarter of the way through her physical therapy. And that means it's only going to get harder for her to take part in - her doctor wants to start her on crutches, so that she can try balancing all on her own which is the best way (he thinks) to get her ready for walking. The thought of having to use crutches as her only means of support, especially without having any legs, overwhelms Lorna with stress. She can't imagine that will go well for her. But how could she ever relearn to walk if she doesn't do what her doctor asks of her?

* * *

Early one Monday morning, Lorna awakens to the sound of loud banging that seems to be coming from someone's harsh knocking on her door. She wonders who could be doing that and is a bit terrified that it might be Christopher, especially since she's alone - Nicky had spent the night at their apartment after Lorna convinced her to (she didn't want the redhead to deprive herself of getting a good night's rest). She can't even get up to open the door, which frustrates her. Fortunately after a few minutes, it starts to die down. Sighing in relief, Lorna reaches for the remote - deciding to watch television until her girlfriend returns.

_Get up and open the door, Lorna - It's not polite to ignore when someone's knocking so loudly._ A voice taunts her as she suddenly hears a screeching noise that seems to be coming from the walls. Though the minute she turns to glance at the walls, the screeching stops - leaving her feeling timid and frightened. What the hell was going on with her? She silently asked herself. _Christopher will never stop coming after you - not until you're dead. And that's not anyone's fault but your own, Lorna; you brought this on yourself. You crazy, psychotic stalker. Maybe next time someone rejects you, you should leave it at that rather than ruining the rest of their lives. Although there may never be a next time - because who would ever want to be with you? You think Nicky's gonna want to be burdened with a cripple such as yourself for the rest of her life? Do you? She won't; she can do so much better than you, Lorna!_ Tears streaming down her cheeks, Lorna tries her hardest to ignore the voice but even she knows she doesn't have the control to do such thing. She can't overpower them, not on her own - they're too strong and she's weak, countering against herself.

* * *

When Nicky finally arrives back at the hospital and quickly walks down the hall towards her girlfriend's room, she can already hear the cries coming from it. Her heart slowly shatters inside as she regrets leaving her for the night - she knew it was going to be a bad idea and only agreed to it because Lorna practically begged her to go home to get some rest. She nearly ran to the door, pushing it open, and had to force herself not to lose her composer when she saw the state that her beloved brunette was in.

Lorna lay in the bed, her entire body hidden underneath the blankets, as her body shakes with each heartrending sob that comes out of her. The voices wouldn't let up no matter how hard she tried to ignore and tune them out; on top of that, she continued to hear strange sounds with no explanation as to what had been causing them, which only led to her becoming more and more terrified. "W-w-who's - who's in here?" Her timid voice asks, still keeping herself hidden under the blankets.

The sound of fear in the small woman's voice breaks Nicky's heart even more. There's no way she will be leaving her alone here, ever again. She can't take seeing how terrified Lorna is, after being left alone for the night. Those voices taunt her to no end when she's alone - which only makes Nicky angrier for leaving her to deal with them. "It's me - Nicky - kid," her voice gentle as she carefully makes her way towards the bed. "Why are you hiding under the covers? What's wrong, Lorna?" She softly reaches down to pull the blanket away from her girlfriend's face and feels tears well in her eyes when she sees how distraught the other is. Bending down, she presses a warm to kiss to the brunette's forehead.

"The-the voices - they came back...and I kept hearing loud noises; I thought, I thought Christopher was here...that he was here to finally kill me! And-and then when you opened the door - I just I thought for sure it was him," Lorna cries out, her brown eyes full of tears as she timidly looks up at the concerned redhead. She hates herself for not even being able to survive one night on her own.

Seeing the tears and hearing how horrified the small Italian woman seems to be, Nicky gets in beside her as she protectively wraps her arms around Lorna. She ran her hand tenderly through her brown hair, pressing a soothing kiss to the top of her forehead. "He will never have the chance to come anywhere near you again, kid. I promise! I'm here and I'm not ever leaving your side again - you can't handle these voices on your own, baby... I don't want you to! They're too evil - and you're too sweet which is why you will not be staying here alone anymore. I don't care how sleep-deprived I am - taking care of you is way more important to me!" She speaks softly, cupping the brunette's head in her hands as she peers lovingly in her eyes, "I love you so damn much, kid - I'm not leaving your side, no matter how much you beg me to go home and rest. I rather stay here knowing you're okay than being in my house worrying all night!"

* * *

That afternoon it was time for Lorna's therapy and she insisted on using the crutches over the wheelchair - hoping to encourage herself that she can do it. She figures the sooner she pushes herself to do it, the easier it will be in the long run; it'll make learning how to walk just that much easier when the time finally comes. Nicky, on the other hand, isn't so sure that she should be pushing herself into doing something like that so soon. It's still only been a couple of months since her double leg amputation, and she wasn't sure Lorna could hold herself up long enough - not right now anyway; she needed much more therapy before she could conquer that.

Nicky gently helped the defiant brunette out of bed and into her wheelchair, which earned her a glare that she just shrugged off with a sympathetic smile. "Don't rush yourself, kid - you need time to heal and to learn how to walk without your legs. You're doing so well; please don't feel you have to push yourself into anything. I don't want you to get hurt, so only do what you can. And let me help you! I love you more than anything, Lorna; I want to help you through this - you're not doing this alone," she says in a stern voice, looking down at her girlfriend's angelic face. With a sad smile, she presses a gentle kiss atop the other's head and starts wheeling her down to the therapy session.

It's only a five minute walk from Lorna's room to where the therapy sessions are held, which only makes the Italian woman more anxious. She wants to be able to do everything her doctor asks of her, but sometimes he can be too pushy and she ends up trying to do things that she knows she's not ready to do. That then leads to her either falling - from working to hard at holding herself up - or blowing up in anger, screaming and throwing whatever's in her path. She loathes herself when that happens because not only does she disappoint herself or the doctor, but also Nicky - and Nicky is the last person she wants to disappoint. And that's why she promises to herself that she won't cause any problems today; not matter how hard her doctor is on her, she will try her very hardest not get too upset.

After the two women finally arrive in his office, Doctor Bennett takes control of Lorna's wheelchair and brings her to sit in front of the display of prosthetic legs. He feels now is the time to have her start trying the different types to see which one will work best for her - he needs to get her ready to start walking again. "Well, Lorna, today is the day that you'll get your first pair of prosthetic legs! Of course before we can get you the real deal, you're going to have to try some out so you can see what's most comfortable and what you think will work best for you." He says as he gets a variety out from a box that lays on the floor. Bringing them over to the two women, he places them on the bench that's right beside Lorna's wheelchair.

Lorna glances over at them before looking back up at the doctor, her face full of confusion. "I-I don't know how to - how to put them on... Are you gonna help me?" She hates how much her voice shakes as she asks that, but she's not very fond of her doctor - he seems to think that she needs to do everything on her own and that she should be pushing herself to do more.

"I'll help with the right side, and then you need to try putting the other one on by yourself," Doctor Bennett responds, bringing one of the prosthetic legs over to her and kneeling in front of her to start getting it on her right top leg. "You're going to be living with these for the rest of your life, Lorna. You need as much practice as you can get with putting them on. You need to be able to do it on your own - can't rely on other people for help all the time, you know? You need to learn how to be independent, and you can only do that by practicing by yourself."

Hearing the way he's talking to her girlfriend brings a boiling rage to Nicky. She glares darkly at the doctor as she comes over to where he's standing and harshly yanks the prosthetic leg out of his hand, "Since you clearly don't want to help my beautiful Lorna, then I will. You have no fucking right to tell her that she shouldn't be able to rely on others! I love this sweet woman more than anybody in the entire world and I will do everything I can to take care of her. I'm here for her and I will help her - whatever she needs me to do, I will do. And if you're gonna sit here and tell her that she shouldn't let me help her, then maybe you shouldn't be her doctor! What fuckin' right do you have to make her feel bad about herself, huh?! She can't fucking help that she lost both of her legs! And she certainly doesn't need you to be judging her for it. So either start acting like a real doctor and help her or I will find someone better. I'm not going to allow you to treat her like shit!" She growled at him before taking his place in front of Lorna and trying to figure out how to put it on her. Once she figures it out, she tries to be as gentle as possible, not wanting to accidentally hurt the petite woman.

The brunette can feel her heart soaring at how Nicky stood up for her. She lovingly reached her hand down to touch Nicky's, giving it a tender squeeze. "I love you so much," she whispers softly, a small smile on her face as she looks warmly down at the redhead. The only one who can make her feel better when times are rough, the only person who can make her heart flutter with so much joy - it's all Nicky. Even having her help put on the prosthetic leg, it's not nearly as painful as she thought or might have been had the doctor done it.

Nicky smiles back at her as she strokes the hand that holds hers, "I love you too, kid." She moves on to her other side and begins to attach the left prosthetic leg to her. When she finally finishes, she gives a firm look into Lorna's brown eyes. "How do they feel, kid? Be honest - you don't need to lie and pretend they feel fine just to please the doctor. If it's uncomfortable, you speak up and tell me." She reaches up to gently caress the other's cheek, staring lovingly at her.

"It feels okay, Nicky," Lorna replies, giving her a sincere smile as she cups her face in her hands and presses a tender kiss to her lips. She then gently lets go of her girlfriend and slowly tries to stand up on her own. She knows she shouldn't be forcing herself to do this - when she's definitely not ready for it, but she can't help the determination that she's feeling. As she slowly stands up, her smile grows while she looks at Nicky - who only stares at her in complete shock; she can't believe how well Lorna's doing, especially this being her first time wearing them. "I'm - I'm standing - and I'm not even holding onto anything!" She shrieks, her tone full of excitement.

To see how overly happy her girlfriend is, Nicky can feel her heart melting inside of her. She smiles as well, backing a few inches from Lorna and holds her arms out for her - her way of encouraging the other to take a few steps. "You're doing so well, baby! You think you can try a few steps on your own? It's no big deal if you can't; so don't feel you have to push yourself if you're not ready," she softly says, smiling reassuringly at her. She's beyond proud of the accomplishments her girlfriend has made these past two months.

Nodding her head slowly, Lorna tries her hardest to take her first step. She carefully pulls her right leg up to move forward but the second she does, she feels herself become paralyzed. The leg isn't really hers, she can't feel it - she looks over at Nicky, who is obviously quite excited to see her standing without assistance, and sighs sadly. She can't disappoint her now but she has no idea what to do next. She feels as if her body is locked up - as if she can't move without running into a wall. _You're really going to just give up, Lorna? Are you that weak? You don't love Nicky enough to walk over to her, huh? What an unworthy human being you are. If you don't move those pathetic legs of yours now, then all you'll ever be is a disappointment. You will never amount to anything if you can't even fucking walk! Is that what you want - you want to be a wheelchair-bound waste of space human for the rest of your miserable life?_ Lorna squeezes her eyes shut in frustration - she knows the voice is right; if she can't even walk a few steps, what kind of life is that? What kind of life will she lead if all she can do is sit in a wheelchair?

A few minutes pass and Nicky can't believe it when she feels Lorna's body finally collapse into her arms. She wraps her arms tight around her, looking down at her with a loving smile as tears well up in her eyes. "I'm so damn proud of you, kid. You did amazing!" She can't help but lavishly praise her girlfriend for what she's accomplished - that's why when she feels the other's body trembling against her own, she grows very worried. She holds her tighter and uses one hand to gently lift Lorna's chin so that their eyes meet, "What's the matter? Why are you so shaky, kid? You did really, really well today. What's got you all upset? Oh God - you overdid it, that's what's wrong! Lorna, you can't force yourself to do things when you clearly aren't ready to do them! I know you're very eager to walk again, but you need to take it slow or else you'll end up hurting yourself, baby." She presses a gentle kiss to her forehead before lovingly carrying her back to the wheelchair and placing her in it. Giving her another soothing kiss, she smiles softly at her, "I'm still so proud of you though. Don't think that I'm not - I just want you to take care of yourself, kid. I love you; I hate seeing you in pain."

* * *

That Friday, Lorna is finally released from the hospital - on the condition that she come for physical therapy at least three times a week. Both she and Nicky are extremely pleased to be heading home; two months in the hospital is long enough. When they finally arrive back at the apartment, about a fifteen minute drive later, Nicky carefully helps Lorna into the living room and onto the couch. She gently wraps one of the blankets around her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, and then goes over to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

Lorna smiles - she's so happy to finally be out of there, she almost forgot what it's like to be outside. She gently searches the couch for where the remote may be and when she gets hold of it, she turns the television on to one of her favorite channels. As her eyes glue to the screen in front of her, she nearly jumps at the sound of furniture being moved around along with voices loudly talking. She glances around the room and only sees Nicky - who's pouring coffee into two mugs, looking just as confused as she is. At least she knows it's not in her head this time.

Just then Lilly comes out of her room - hauling a few dozen boxes with her - along with Miley, who also has a load of boxes in her hands. She stops right there, for a minute, when she sees her older sister and Lorna are in the apartment. "It's good to see that you're finally out of the hospital, Lorna. How do you feel?" She asks, looking into the living room at the brunette. She hasn't seen her since the Christopher incident, and feels a bit of guilt building in her gut - if she would have stabbed him, he never would have gone after Lorna a second time.

Staring at the blonde, Lorna is shocked to see how pregnant she is. It's been a very long time since she last saw her - she was barely even pregnant at that time. But she's glad the incident didn't cost Lilly her baby, or else she would have never been able to forgive herself for such a tragic ordeal. "I'm feeling wonderful - so sweet of you to ask, Lilly. How are you feeling? You look about ready to pop," she smiles softly at the younger woman; she'll always be grateful to her for saving her life.

"That's great!" Lilly's voice squeaked as she gave a smile back, "I wish he would just come out already, I feel like a beached whale." She responds to the question before continuing to carry the boxes to the entrance of their apartment; she places them on the floor for a second while she opens the door and props it open.

Realizing what's going on, Nicky immediately sets the coffee down and goes over to her sister. She looks at her sternly, "What are you doing, Lil? What's with the boxes, huh? You found a place, already?" Her voice is firm, but is on the verge of breaking - she can't believe her baby sister is actually moving out. She's not sure she's read for that to happen; her only family and now she won't be able to keep watch over her to make sure she doesn't do anything she'd regret. "And what the hell do you think you're doing carrying these heavy boxes? You're not supposed to be lifting heavy things when you're pregnant, Lilly! You sure you're ready to live on your own? Are you gonna remember to take care of yourself, kid?! Because if you can't even remember that you shouldn't be lifting these heavy ass boxes, than how the hell are you gonna remember to feed yourself or get rest instead of staying up all night studying for tests that are months away?" She doesn't mean to be so harsh, but it saddens her to see her sister go.

Miley, who stood silently in the hallway, comes over and gives a reassuring smile to the fuming redhead. "Don't worry - the boxes she's carrying are only full of her pillows; I made sure not to let her carry anything heavy," she says, giving a loving glance to the blonde when Nicky isn't looking. "And I'll make sure she takes care of herself - believe me, I won't let her forget about her own needs."

Confused at what's being said, Nicky turns to stare at Lilly. Could she be moving in with Miley? Is that what's going on? Had she been so consumed in her life with Lorna that she neglected to see what was happening in Lilly's? "Care to explain what she means by this "I'll make sure she takes of herself" stuff? Are you movin' in with her, Lilly? What the hell have you been up to lately?" She stares sternly into her sister's blue eyes, making sure she knows she's being serious.

"Well - uh - yes, I am moving in with her," she looks down, worried that her sister won't be too thrilled about the idea. "Miley and I - we've gotten very close these past few months...you know, like you and Lorna have? We love each other, and she's willing to help me take care of my baby...Which is why she asked me to move in with her." Ever since Lilly's been home from the hospital, she and Miley spent as much time together as possible. They developed feelings for each other, which led them to finally being girlfriends and now, they'll be living together. Something that made a light shine in Lilly's ocean blue eyes - love is something she'd never find and now not only does she have a baby who's captured her heart but also the woman of her dreams, she couldn't ask for a better life if she tried.

Nicky can't believe her ears - her baby sister was moving out and with someone she loved? When the hell did she fall in love? A question that ran frantically through her mind. She's mad at herself for not paying attention to what was happening in her own sister's life - the sister who she would do anything for, the sister she had to raise when she was only a child herself. A nauseating feeling washes over her and she decides she needs to get out of there - she needs to walk outside and think things over for a few minutes.

Seeing Lilly about to break into sobs, Miley gently pulls her in for a soothing embrace. She runs her hand comfortingly through her long blonde hair, and looks gently into her eyes, "Don't cry, Lilly - please don't cry...I don't think she's mad at you, she just - she probably just needs time to let it sink in. Want me to go talk to her? Maybe that might help." The chestnut haired woman softly says, pressing a kiss to the top of Lilly's head before making her way out of the apartment.

Feeling empathy for her girlfriend's sister, Lorna gives a soft glance over to her. "Come here, Lilly," she gently calls out to her, patting the spot next to her on the couch. Once Lilly's sitting beside her, she gently reaches over to pull her into a comforting embrace. She runs her hand up and down her back in soothing circles. "Don't worry, Lilly; Nicky's not mad at you for being in love - she just, she's sad to see that you're growing up and don't need her to take care of you anymore. But she is definitely not mad at you, sweetie." Her voice soft as she continues to bring comfort to the young woman.

* * *

Outside, Nicky sits down on a bench in the front of the building. She can't believe that her younger sister is in love and moving out just like that - had she really neglected to see the signs? What kind of older sister is she if she couldn't even see that Lilly was falling in love? Before she can think any longer, a gentle hand to her shoulder brings her back to reality. She looks across from her to see Miley sitting beside her, giving her a friendly smile. Sighing, she peers up at her, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything. I know you're a good person and you'll take good care of my sister... I just - I'm mad at myself for not realizing that my own baby sister was falling in love! And that she's having a baby already, moving out - It's too much all at once. You know what I mean, kid?"

Slowly nodding in response, Miley gives a gentle squeeze to the older woman's shoulder. "I know what you mean - you didn't offend me, Nicky. I know she's your baby sister, and that it's sad for you to see her go. But just think of it this way - you did so well at taking care of her that she _is_ able to move out and live on her own. She's able to be independent, because you took such good care of her. You should be proud of yourself for how wonderful your sister turned out - because it's all your doing, you're the one who acted like a real mother to her. And you should be proud of Lilly for turning out to be such a strong woman after all the suffering she's endured. Both of you have turned into such lovely woman," she smiles softly, patting her head comfortingly.

* * *

Later that night, Nicky lay beside Lorna in her bed - looking down at her, her brown eyes full of a faint sadness. She can't believe that her sister no longer lives with her; she's thankful that she turned out to be a strong person, but it still doesn't hurt less knowing that life is changing and things are no longer the same. A single tear falls down her cheek, making her quickly wipe it way in the hopes that her girlfriend doesn't notice - she hates crying in front of her; she's supposed to be the strong one.

Unfortunately, though, Lorna notices the tear and her eyes wash over in concern. She lightly touches the redhead's cheek, caressing it in comforting circles. "It's okay, Nicky - you can cry," she whispers softly, wrapping her arms gently around her neck as she presses a warm kiss to her forehead. She runs her hand tenderly through the thick red curls of her girlfriend's head. "Let me comfort you for once - you don't always gotta be strong. You know, my mom always told me that everyone needs a hug - even the bad guys and bullies, and the tough girls." She smiles when she hears Nicky chuckle, making her press another tender kiss to her forehead.

Looking into Lorna's loving brown eyes, Nicky can't help but smile sadly at her, "You're adorable, kid. Fine - if you want to comfort me so bad, go ahead...but I'm not gonna cry, it was just an eyelash or something." She traces her fingers lightly down Lorna's arms, peering at her with love very evident in her own eyes. "I shouldn't be sad over Lilly's moving out...but it's sad to see her go; she's my only family left, and I don't want her to get hurt or anything. I mean I know Miley wouldn't do anything to hurt her, but I can't help but worry," she admits, looking away as she refuses to let Lorna see her when she's vulnerable - something she doesn't want anyone to ever witness.

Lorna gently turns Nicky's face so that she can stare into her eyes; she uses one hand to lovingly wipe away her tears and the other hand to stroke the skin around her eyes. "There's no reason to be ashamed of crying in front of me, Nicky. You're my precious girlfriend; I love you more than anything in the world and I want you to be able to share your feelings and emotions with me. I want to take care of you sometimes, too, you know?" She presses a tender kiss to the redhead's lips, stroking her cheeks comfortingly. When a few more tears fall down her girlfriend's cheeks, she wipes them soothingly away with her thumb. She takes Nicky's head in her hands, looking warmly into her big brown eyes, "See, it's no big deal to cry once in a while. Not like crying's gonna kill you or anything, sweetie." Gently, she lays Nicky's head against her chest and continuously strokes her hair. She presses her lips soothingly against the other's head, wrapping the blanket around the two of them. And within a few minutes the two women fall into a peaceful sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

The sun is brightly shining in the sky, waking Lorna from her sound slumber. She immediately feels something heavy lying against her chest and looks down to see what's causing it. A smile forms as her eyes meet her girlfriend's angelic sleeping form - she lovingly runs her hand through Nicky's thick locks. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Nicky," she softly whispers, pressing her lips against the redhead's forehead, "I love you so much."

* * *

Later in the morning, once both women are dressed and ready for the day, they decide to stop at a coffee shop for a hot cup of coffee before they head to the hospital for Lorna's therapy appointment. Lorna ordered her usual caramel macchiato while Nicky just ordered a regular coffee. After they're handed their coffees, they take a seat at one of the tables - smiling happily at one another. Sipping her bold beverage, Nicky lovingly reaches over to grab a hold of one of her girlfriend's hands. She gives it a tender squeeze while stroking her knuckles lightly with her thumb. "You're doing so well, kid - with both of your therapies. And I am extremely proud of you," she speaks softly, her voice full of sincerity. She couldn't be prouder of her beloved girlfriend if she tried.

Lorna smiles while taking a sip of her steaming macchiato. She has to admit that she, too, is quite proud of how well she's doing with her therapies - that she's actually getting herself the help that she needs rather than continuing to feed into her old ways. "Thank you, Nicky, so much. If it weren't for you, I would have never done anything to help myself. I'd probably have gotten myself into serious trouble and ended up in prison. You are the reason I'm doing so well - you've been better to me than my own family and I will always be grateful to you for that. I love you so much," she gently says, reaching across the table to lovingly caress the redhead's cheek.

Before either women can say another word running towards them is Lorna's nephew - a huge grin on his face as he spots his favorite Aunt. "Hi auntie Lona!" Julian happily says, jumping up onto her lap and wrapping his tiny arms around her neck, "Mommy and me came hewe fow hot chocwate! What you dwinkin? Who's that wady?" He grips tightly onto the brunette's neck, pointing towards Nicky.

"Well how nice of mommy to take you out for hot chocolate!" Lorna holds her nephew tight, running her hands gently through his short locks of brown hair. "I'm just having a coffee, buddy. That lady is Nicky - she's my very, very good friend. Where's mommy? Does she know you ran off?"

Just then Franny comes running over with two steaming cups of hot chocolate. She hands the smaller one to Julian, though gives him a stern look. "I know you love aunt Lorna, Julian, but you can't be running off on me like that! You better be careful with your aunt, she's still in some pain," she speaks firmly to the little boy but is secretly pleased to see how close he is with her sister. Peering into her sister's eyes, she gently smiles. "How's the physical therapy goin', Lorna?" It's still hard for her to believe that her baby sister lost both her legs and that makes her feel so guilty for treating her as terribly as she has the past several months.

Twisting her fingers through the tiny ringlets of her nephew's hair, Lorna looks at the older woman with a smile of her own. She's quite thankful to have her older sister back in her life - especially because she missed spending time with her favorite little nephew. "It's going okay, I'd say. I picked out a pair of prosthetic legs last time, so hopefully they'll be there today and I can start learning to walk again. I really hate being wheelchair bound! It makes me feel so helpless, I can't stand it," she replies, a tiny hint of annoyance in her voice - she honestly can't stand her wheelchair; she feels like such a burden to her girlfriend. "But Nicky's really helping me so much with everything; she's such a wonderful girlfriend, really." Lorna quickly regrets letting such information to slip out of her mouth; she knows how homophobic her family is and can't afford to lose contact with her sister all over again - it would hurt too much.

The taller, older brunette is a bit shocked to hear that Lorna's in love with another woman but that soon fades away and is replaced with a sincere smile. "I'm glad to hear someone's looking out for you, baby sis. You deserve to be with someone you love, and with someone who actually loves you back just as much. Even if that someone is a woman, Lorna - I really am glad for you. It doesn't matter to me who you love, just that they love you too and that they won't hurt you. Though I think I can pretty much assume that Nicky would never cause harm to you; she's been extremely good to you, more than what I can say me, dad, and Mikey have done these last few years. And that fills me with a lot of guilt - that some stranger had to take care of you because we all failed you. Dad may never feel an ounce of guilt in his life, but I will. I'm sorry he's such a horrible father and he never did a thing to help your mental condition or that Mikey and I never did anything to stop his taunting you. But I can promise you this, I will be here for you now and I'll try so hard to be the older sister I used to be. I even moved outta the house, couldn't deal with dad's constant bashing of you any longer - plus he was starting to become a bad influence for Julian."

"Good for you, Fran," Lorna smiles gently - relieved that the other isn't bothered by the fact that she is in love with another woman. Bending down she presses a soft kiss to her young nephew's head, staring over at her sister with a gentle expression, "Don't feel guilty, please. I know you didn't mean to be so harsh; you were just tired of my constant fantasies, and I understand that - plus you've got a little boy to take care of, which I'm sure dad does nothing to help you out. He's a cold man; I'll never ever understand what mom even saw in him." She really couldn't see what about her father that her mother liked - he acted horribly even to her.

A few tears well up in Franny's blue eyes as she looks gently at the petite woman, surprised at how forgiving her sister could be. "Oh Lorna," she sighs, walking over to her and pressing a comforting kiss to the top of her head, "That's no excuse for what I did to you, and believe me I will regret what happened for the rest of my life. But I'm so thankful we are able to work things out and become closer again. I love you so much, and if you need anything you can always call me." She speaks heartfully to her sister, meaning every word that she says. Then she looks at her son and carefully takes him from Lorna's lap, patting his head tenderly. "It's time we go, Jules. Gotta go get a few things from the store - we're gonna get some decorations for your new bedroom. Maybe after we get our new place all cleaned up and looking pretty we'll invite aunt Lorna and her girlfriend over. How's that sound?" When she sees him enthusiastically nod his head, a beaming smile on his face, she smiles too and kisses his cheek. Looking back at her sister she waves and says, "Nice seeing ya, Lor - I'll have you two come over sometime, when you're feeling well. And Nicky - thank you for being so good to her, please keep it that way. Please don't ever hurt Lorna; not that I think you would, but it still needs to be said."

Nicky, who hasn't said a word in the past ten minutes, finally speaks up. "I could say the same to you, you know?" She jokes, a smirk on her face - but deep down, she means it; Franny's been the one who's caused pain to Lorna these past few months that she's had her living with her. "Honestly, though, I could never even dream of hurting this sweet, precious woman. I love her with all my heart; she means the world to me." She gives a loving glance over towards Lorna, her eyes smiling kindly at her. Never in a million years could the redhead imagine causing any amount of pain to this sweet woman that she loved.

* * *

An hour later, when the two of them finally arrive at the hospital for Lorna's appointment, she's given her first pair of prosthetics. Nicky carefully helps her put them on - still angry with the doctor for what he said to her the last time. Giving a her a quick embrace, and a comforting kiss on the head, she carefully helps Lorna to stand up. She gets the brunette's crutches and hands them to her. "Please don't push yourself too hard today, kid. You don't need to prove yourself to me or anyone; I'm proud of you no matter what, baby," she warmly says, patting her tenderly on the head.

Lorna gives her a soft smile, leaning happily onto her crutches. As much as she longs to walk without them, she knows she's not ready - the pain is still too much for her to handle without the support of the crutches. She looks over towards her doctor, dreading what he's going to have her do today. He always makes her feel so uncomfortable during her therapy sessions.

Doctor Bennett gives her a disapproving look, not very pleased to see that she wouldn't put on her own prosthetic legs. "I hope you got enough rest last night, Lorna, because today you're going to be walking a lap around the hospital. You have to do it on your own - no help from your friend. In fact, you'll be walking by yourself; you need to learn how to cope independently. You can use the crutches but that's it, no wheelchair, no breaks. If you ever want to walk as good as you used to, you'll do exactly what I tell you," he says a bit harshly to her. He's not too fond of her anymore - he feels she isn't pushing herself the way she should.

The redhead shakes her head while rolling her eyes; she hates this man more than anything. He's always being so cold towards Lorna and for no good reason. "You can't be fucking serious! You're not making her do something she can't physically do on her own! What the hell's your problem with her? Why the fuck are you so mean to Lorna?! You're not being a good doctor by fucking abusing her and making her do things that are hurting her! You're not showing her how to be independent by insulting her and making her feel bad - all you're doing is bullying her. You're a scumbag of a doctor," she grits her teeth angrily, glaring darkly at him. He's another man she'll add to her list of men she wishes she could secretly kill.

"This is not being mean," The brown-haired doctor simply says, a blank expression on his face. "This is physical therapy - it's not supposed to be easy and you were both warned of that the first day we started. I am being 100% serious when I say that Lorna is going to walk a lap around the hospital, all by herself. It's the only way she'll learn to be independent; she shouldn't be relying on you all the time and you shouldn't allow her to either." He quickly walks over to the petite brunette and forces her to follow him out to the hallway. He closes the door before Nicky has a chance to say or do anything and glares directly into Lorna's tearful eyes, "Don't come back until you've walked around this building at least twice. I'm tired of your bullshit; you're the worst patient I've ever had."

* * *

Halfway through her walk - what seems like years to Lorna - she starts to feel wobbly and fatigued. Her knees become weak and sore, causing them to give out and she falls to the ground. She doesn't have the will to get up, only lies on the floor as she lets her tears roam freely down her cheeks. _You are so worthless, Lorna. You can't do anything right, you nasty little whore._ More tears fall as her body trembles against the cold, marble floor. She's disgusted with herself for not being able to finish what she was supposed to complete.

Doctor Reznikov, who's on her way back to her office, comes rushing over when she sees who it is that's lying on the ground. She kneels down beside her as she very carefully lifts her off of the filthy floor. Looking her over with deep worry and concern, she stands up and carries her back to her office. "What happened, Lorna?" She gently asks, her eyes staring down at her worriedly.

Lorna can hardly speak with how much crying she's doing. She's ashamed, embarrassed of what's happened. How could her life ever go back to normal if she can't even walk an hour without falling flat on her face? _Maybe you should wheel yourself back to that bridge and roll right off of it, don't you agree? Do yourself and everyone else a favor and get rid of a burden._ Squeezing her eyes shut, she cries even more. "I'm-I'm an embarrassment - I-I can't, can't even walk without falling," she sobs out, not wanting to stare at the Russian woman any longer.

"Oh no, you're not an embarrassment; don't say things like that about yourself," the Russian therapist soothes, softly patting her distraught patient's back to try to calm her down some. "You fell? That's nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart! You've been through a lot with having both of your legs amputated - don't be so hard on yourself. It's gonna take some time to learn how to walk with the prosthetic legs. You'll learn again in no time, just got to be a little patient. Where's your friend, Nicky? I'm sure she's very worried about you!"

The tearful brunette only cries more - she's not too sure she wants Nicky to see her like this; she knows that will only add to her disappointment. She hates disappointing the woman she loves; she can't stand to see that look in her brown eyes. "She's-she's waiting with-with my doctor for me to come back. He-he made me walk around the hospital by myself - he told me that's the only way I will learn how to walk again," Lorna's voice cracking with sniffles as she continues to look straight down at the floor.

To hear that brings another bout of worry and concern to Doctor Reznikov. She hates the sound of another doctor pushing their patients to do things too soon. "Your physical therapist made you walk around the hospital alone? Who is he?" Her voice is gentle, but she's gritting her teeth to keep from letting her anger out. Her anger only grows more when she hears who Lorna's doctor is, quickly grabbing her phone from the desk and dialing the number to his office. "Excuse me, is this Doctor Bennett?" She nearly shouts into the phone, her Russian accent getting stronger as the rage rises, "Do you know that I have your patient - Lorna Morello - sitting here with me? I found her lying on the floor in obvious pain - whatever physical therapy you're putting her through is not doing a damn thing to help her! Pushing her to do things that she isn't ready to do is not helping! Do I need to have a talk with your supervisor again? Because you obviously have no clue how to treat your patients with respect. Now you better send her friend down here and I swear if I see this happen to her again - I will make sure you are fired." She hangs up the phone, putting it back on her desk, and then helps Lorna to sit down in a chair. Going over to the teapot, she gets the petite woman a cup of tea.

Handing the younger woman a steaming cup, Doctor Reznikov gives her a sympathetic smile, "Try to calm down - sip on the tea. Your girlfriend will be here soon to get you out of here." The red-haired therapist says, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder before going to sit down at her desk and starting on some paperwork from her morning patients. She keeps a close eye on Lorna as she continues to write her notes.

Fifteen minutes go by when the door of her office finally opens and in comes a very worried Nicky. Her eyes automatically search for her petite Italian girlfriend - when they spot her, they glaze over in tears for her. She immediately makes her way over to Lorna, wrapping her arms tight around her, "I'm here now, kid; You're okay." Her voice soft as she runs a hand through her short brown hair. Giving a quick glance over at the Russian therapist, she gratefully smiles - pleased that she had found her girlfriend and kept her safe until she came for her. "Thank you for finding her and taking care of her, Doctor _Red_. That was very kind of you."

* * *

Lilly stood in the doorway of the room that would soon be her son's and let out a sigh. She still had so much work to do and only had two months until his birth. She walked in the half-finished nursery, taking in every item - trying to figure out what all she needs versus what she already has. Walking over to the crib, she takes a long look at it realizing that she hasn't put the bedspread on it yet.

As she goes to get the blue and white bed set from the closet, she starts to feel a strong pain in her abdomen. Ignoring it only makes it worse, but any movement she makes amplifies the pain. Breathing harder and harder, Lilly slowly makes her way over to the rocking chair and carefully sits down - trying to figure out what's causing this pain of hers. To make matters worse, a gush of water comes rushing out of her and landing on the wooden floor underneath her, creating a huge puddle. At this point Lilly is mentally freaking out - she has no clue what's happening with her. There's no way she could be in labor, not when she's only seven months through her pregnancy.

The abdominal pain sharpens causing a loud scream to escape Lilly's mouth. It's not as if anyone will come help her - Miley's working for the next few hours. She can't move to get her phone as the pain is just too much; it's consuming her. A strong urge to push washes over her and within several minutes she can feel something fall at the edge of her feet. Looking down, her eyes grow wide when she sees it's a baby - her baby - lying on the floor. Quickly, Lilly bends down to pick her son up and cries as she cradles him in her arms.

Shaken and tearful, she walks out of the room to grab her phone so she can call an ambulance and after she's finished with that, she decides to call her sister - not wanting to be alone. "N-Nicky," she cries out, looking down at her tiny baby - who's still has yet to make a sound, "I-I need you to-to come over here, please...I-I just gave birth to my, to my son, and I don't-I don't want to be alone. I already-already called 911 and they, they said they're on-on their way. I'm-I'm sorry to have to bother you but Miley's working an-and I just I really don't want to be alone right now..." More tears come pouring out of her eyes as she holds the phone to her ear with her neck, using her arms to tightly cradle her son.

On the other end of the phone is not Nicky but Lorna - Nicky had to work all night. The brunette starts to worry for her girlfriend's sister, her eyes are full of empathy as she hears what is told to her. "This is Lorna, sweetie; Nicky's at work. You had your baby? All on your own? Are you okay, Lilly? What about the baby? Is he breathing or crying?" She gently questions, holding the phone tightly against her ear.

"He-he has-hasn't cried...his eyes are closed and-and he hasn't opened them! Yes, I just had him - I was, I was sitting upstairs in-in his nursery, and I had this sharp pain that wouldn't go away and then a huge puddle of water was on the ground right beneath where I was sitting - then, then I felt something come out and fall to my feet; it was my baby. What if I made him die by not catching him?! I didn't-I didn't even realize what was happening. I hope he's not dead, I couldn't live with myself if-if he's-" Sobs escape her as she looks down at the baby - hoping he'll open his mouth to cry.

Lorna feels a pain in her heart for the young woman - she can't imagine what it must have been like to give birth to a baby, especially all alone in her own house. "Shh, don't think like that Lilly...You didn't do anything wrong! I'm heading over there now; as soon as I get there, I'll call Nicky and let her know what's going on, okay?" She tries to sound soothing as she carefully gets up and starts to head out the door.

* * *

When the petite brunette finally makes it to Lilly's apartment, she quickly makes her way into the front door - her eyes frantically searching for her. She hears her cries and carefully follows where they're coming from; her heart breaking at the sight of Lilly's huddled on the floor crying while holding a tiny bundle in her arms. Lorna gently walks closer to her, sitting herself down right beside the younger woman. "The ambulance hasn't arrived yet, Lilly? How long ago did you call them sweetie? Did you tell them that you just gave birth to a premature baby?" Concern shown throughout her tone and face as she wraps her arms comfortingly around the blonde's shoulders.

Shrugging her shoulders, Lilly can hardly speak due to how much she's crying. She can't look anywhere but at the tiny face of her son, which is a very pale color and his lips are very faintly blue. "It-it was right-right before I called you...I did tell-tell them I gave birth and they said they were on-on their way. I don't, I don't know why it's taking them so long but they need to hurry; my baby is too tiny and-and he won't cry! His lips - they're turning blue!" She shrieks, her eyes never leaving sight of the baby's face.

Finally, the door is burst open and in comes a pair of paramedics. They walk over to where the two women are - figuring out that the one carrying a bundled blanket is the one who called for their assistance. Approaching her, they notice a slight trace of blood against the floor boards, meaning that the mother must still be bleeding. "Are you the woman who called? You said you gave birth to your son, alone in this house? Are you okay with letting us take the baby and check him over?" One of them asks, carefully helping the blonde woman to stand up. He takes notice of the huge amount of blood that covers the spot where she sat and decides that they need to get her to the hospital right away.

* * *

Arriving at the hospital, Lilly is rushed into the ICU and her baby is brought to the neonatal ICU. Fortunately they allow Lorna to stay with the distraught blonde to keep her from getting too upset. She sits beside her bed, running her hand soothingly through her long hair - over and over. "Everything will be okay, sweetie," she gently says, looking empathetically down at her. Then she reaches into her purse to pull out her phone, dialing Nicky's number. After a couple of rings her girlfriend finally answers, and relief washes over her. "Nicky, I hate to bother you at work but this is important. Lilly's in the hospital; she just gave birth to her baby."

"She gave birth to the baby already? Are you fucking serious? There's no way she was nine months pregnant! Is she okay?! How long have you been with her? Were you there when she had the baby?" Nicky nearly yells into the phone, surprised to hear that her baby sister just had a baby - she wasn't prepared for that to happen today. She sighs though, knowing she's probably scared the shit out of her petite girlfriend by screaming into her ear. "I'm sorry, kid - I don't mean to yell at you; I'm just really shocked she's already given birth."

Lorna gives a quick glance to Lilly - who's lying tearfully in the bed as she stare emotionlessly ahead at the wall - and lets out a sad sigh. She carefully takes a hold of the other's hand squeezing it comfortingly while continuing her phone conversation, "She gave birth in her apartment, Nicky, alone. I came over after she called and then, finally, the damn ambulance showed up." She tries to make her voice quieter so that Lilly won't hear and get upset by what's said. "The paramedics said she's bleeding a lot and they have to give her a blood transfusion. They took her baby as soon as they were brought here - I don't know if-if he'll make it; he's so tiny, Nicky, and Lilly said he never cried when he was born, even that his lips were starting to turn blue when the paramedics came. If anything happens to that baby, Lilly will be destroyed." She feels a few tears in her own eyes at this point, stroking the hand she's holding with her thumb.

Slowly the door creaks open and in comes a pediatric doctor. She looks over at the blonde, giving her a reassuring smile, "You've got one strong little guy, Miss Lillian. He's hooked up to a ventilator to help with his breathing, since his lungs are still very immature and he's attached to oxygen as well as a heart monitor but that's all normal for a premature infant. From my examination of him, he seems to have no abnormalities other than being a preemie. His weight is 2.5 pounds, which is normal for 28 weeks. How are you feeling? That must have been quite the ordeal - giving birth in your own house! You handled it very well, I must say. Oh yeah guess I better introduce myself to you...I'm Doctor Robbins, an OBGYN/Pediatric doctor." She kindly says, staring at her patient.

* * *

Driving to the hospital, rather fast, Nicky stares over at Miley - who's sitting in the passenger seat. Luckily she was able to get them both out of work early so that they could go be with Lilly and make sure she's okay. "So you really do love my baby sister, do ya kid?" She looks over at the other, her facial expression a bit soft - she is very happy that her younger sister has found love of her own but that doesn't mean she'll be any less protective towards her.

Hearing the older woman's question Miley comes out of her thoughts while nodding her head. "I've never loved anyone the way I love Lilly; she's the sweetest person I've ever met - so selfless and a heart as big as the mountains. I feel so bad I wasn't there with her when she gave birth...she must have been so scared and terrified! I can't believe she had him alone in the apartment, the thought makes my heart ache," she peers down at the floor of the car - feeling beyond guilty for not being there with the woman she loves, especially during a rather painful event.

"Don't feel bad, kid," Nicky softly says, empathizing with her as she feels her own pang of guilt for not being there. "It's not like any of us knew she would be having the baby today. She was only seven months pregnant; she wasn't supposed to have him yet! Besides I just talked to your sister - Lorna, my girlfriend - and she said that the baby is doing fine, and Lilly will be too once she gets a blood transfusion. So no use dwelling on what could have been done, ya know?" She finally makes it to the parking garage and turns in it to find a spot to park. Looking back at Miley, she gives her a friendly smile. "Honestly, I'm glad my sister has you. You're very good to her, kid. You treat her so well and that means a lot to the both of us. Lilly never imagined she'd find any love in the world but I always knew she would and you are absolutely perfect for her, Miley. Promise me you'll always take care of her? She's the only family I got besides my precious Lorna." When she receives a nod in response, Nicky smiles once more - she knows her sister is in very good hands with Miley.

* * *

Nicky quickly opens the door to Lilly's room and both she and Miley enter it. She feels her heart melt at the sight of her beloved girlfriend's comforting her baby sister. Walking over to the other side of the bed, she bends down to press a motherly kiss to the younger woman's forehead. "You okay, kid?" Her voice soft while she runs her hand soothingly through Lilly's blonde hair. She can't help but pull her in for a tight embrace, swaying back and forth a bit as she holds her close. "You poor thing - having to give birth all by yourself; I'm so sorry you had to go through that alone. You are so strong though, Lilly; the absolute strongest woman I know, kid. How's the little baby? You get to see him - what's he look like? You got a name picked out?" She knows she's asking her too much but she can't help her curiosity.

Embracing her older sister in return, Lilly nods her head. She's not really worried about herself - she just wants her little boy to be okay. Being pregnant with him for the last seven months, she really began to grow an attachment to him and can't wait to be a mother to him - take him home, care for him, show him off to everyone. "He's so small, but the most beautiful little baby I've ever seen. He has a small amount of blonde hair on his head and the cutest face. I don't know what color his eyes are though, he never opened them. I do have a name picked out for him - one I've had since I found out he was a boy, Cooper Jacob."

* * *

Around late evening, Nicky and Lorna decide to head home - planning to come back the next afternoon. Walking in the door of their shared apartment, they exhaustively collapse onto the couch. Nicky reaches for the remote, flicking the TV on. As she looks over at the brunette, her heart swells with love and she pulls her in for a loving embrace. "You are the sweetest thing ever, Lorna," she cups her cheeks and presses a tender kiss to her lips. "You mean more to me than anything - I appreciate you so much for being there for my baby sister today. You really took care of her and helped her. If you hadn't gone over, she and the baby both could have died today. I love you so damn much, baby." She traces her fingers tenderly across Lorna's cheeks, smiling lovingly at her.

Wrapping her own arms around the taller woman's neck, Lorna softly strokes her chin. "She was so upset on the phone; there was no way I wouldn't have gone over there. I'm so glad that they're both going to be okay, I was so worried something awful was gonna happen... I love you so much too, Nicky," she beams a smile, taking her face in her frailer hands and placing a soft kiss onto her lips. "I'm glad our sisters found love with each other; they're perfect together just as the two of us are." Lorna runs her hand lovingly through the redhead's thick hair, her eyes smiling sweetly at her, "You're beautiful, Nicky. I think I might take a shower and change real quick - it's been a long past few days."

Lorna goes into their bedroom to pick out a fresh pair of pajamas and then makes her way into the bathroom. She closes the door behind her, placing her pajamas onto the side of the counter, and starts to undress herself as she prepares for her shower. But when she slides the curtain back, she sees a very familiar man sitting in the tub - the man who's attempted to murder her twice in this past year. Her heart begins to beat faster as she timidly stares into the blue eyes of Christopher, a man who she used to long after but now would do anything to be rid of him. Covering herself with a towel, she shakily asks, "Wha-what - how did you get in here? Can't you - can't you just lea-leave me alone?! You've already tried to kill me twice...and because of you, I had to lose both of my legs!"

"You want me to leave you alone? Isn't that ironic?" Christopher smirks, staring darkly into the brunette's terrified and fragile eyes. "How do you think I felt when you fucking stalked me?! For three years, YEARS! Why should I let you get away with that? Why don't I just stalk you for three years - then we'll be even or I could call the cops and you could spend time in prison. Which would you rather choose, Lorna?" He laughs, an evil glint in his eyes as he watches her begin to shake.

All of a sudden Lorna feels wobbly on her fake legs and begins to lose her balance, causing her to loudly fall to the ground - she makes sure she knocks something over as a way to get her girlfriend's attention. Tears streak down her cheeks, realizing she may never be rid of Christopher and sometimes regrets the decision she made to not end her life. "Please, please Christopher I swear to you that I will never ever come near you and Angela again - just please leave me alone. Please, I-I can't deal with this anymore!" She sobs out, relieved when she hears the door finally open - but relief turns to fear when she feels her body being lifted up by rough hands. Her eyes widen when she sees the window to the bathroom is wide open and that Christopher's attempting to escape out of it with her.

Nicky's face turns red when she sees what's going on. She hurriedly runs into the room, forcefully taking Lorna from his arms and giving a hard glare towards him. "So you're the asshole Christopher, are you? The fucking son of bitch who's been trying to kill my beautiful Lorna! What the fuck? How the fuckin' hell did you even get into my apartment? You're sick and evil; you made Lorna lose her legs in that fucking car crash you caused! Do you even care? Do you care at all the damage you've caused to this sweet woman? Physically and mentally, you've hurt her deeply. You and that sluty whore of yours, Angela. I'm telling you right now, Christopher, you're not coming near my Lorna again. I'm calling the police and you will go to prison for a very long time! Don't even try to stop me, I'm not afraid of you and I won't let you lay another finger on Lorna." She holds the trembling brunette tight in her arms, slowly rocking her as she takes out her phone to call the police.

* * *

After the police finally left with Christopher in handcuffs, Nicky gently brings Lorna to their room and carefully lays her down before getting in beside her. She slides her arms protectively around the other's small waist, pulling her as close as she can have her. Pressing soothing kisses to her head, she looks softly into her eyes. "You okay, baby?" She warmly asks, running a hand slowly through her hair while using her other hand to stroke soothing circles around Lorna's face, "He didn't hurt you, did he? Did he do anything to you, kid? Besides scare the shit outta ya. I'm so sorry this had to happen tonight! You do a good thing and this is the fucking thanks you get?! I'm so sorry, baby; you don't deserve to have to deal with an asshole like that. But fortunately he'll be spending the next few years in prison." Cradling the brunette's head in her hands, she presses a soothing kiss to her lips and then gently lays it against her chest.

Lorna sniffles but feels safe and secure in Nicky's arms which eases some of her crying. "N-no, he didn't hurt me. Just - just glad he's in prison now...he said he would stalk me for three years just like I did to him. I don't blame him for saying that; this must have been how I made him feel - I'm a horrible person! I can't believe I did something to him that absolutely terrifies me. I deserve everything he said to me and what he did to me, he should have killed me - I'd be better off dead, I really would. I brought this on myself, Nicky, don't apologize or feel bad, it's all my fault. I deserve whatever I get...I should be in prison not Christopher, I started the damn stalking stuff!" More and more tears start to come out from her eyes as she looks away from the other. She's ashamed of herself all over again - she feels as if she'll never get better; she'll aways be somewhat fucked up, in her eyes.

Sighing sadly, Nicky looks down at Lorna - her eyes gentle as she lifts her chin so that they're looking right at each other. She loathes that this happened - that Christopher had to, once again, come in Lorna's life and make her feel bad all over again. Pulling the smaller woman closer to her body, she presses a comforting kiss to her head, "Lorna, please don't do this...don't talk like this, kid! You're doing so well, baby, please don't let Christopher get into your head and make you feel this way again. You have so much to live for; you're loved, Lorna. I'm here with you; I'm not letting you think this way about yourself. You're not gonna fucking try to commit suicide again, no fucking way, kid! I love you way too much to let you do something stupid like that. You don't deserve a thing that Christopher's done to you, and you better not even think that way. He's a piece of shit - he takes pleasure in hurting you and that is evil. He's right where he belongs - in prison. And you are right where you belong, with me - someone who loves you with all her heart and will not let you think negatively about yourself." She speaks firmly, looking lovingly into Lorna's brown eyes. Pressing one last soft kiss to her lips, she carefully lays the brunette's head back onto her chest and wraps the blanket around the two of them. "I love you more than anything in this universe; nothing can ever change that, baby. Tomorrow we're going to go talk to your therapist, Doctor Reznikov, because I really don't want you feeling this way again."


	17. Chapter 17

Lorna stands in the bathroom looking closely at herself in the mirror. A few tears roll down her cheeks as the memory of last night comes running through her mind. How did Christopher even get into the apartment? She silently wonders, but remembers the bathroom window was open - meaning he somehow managed to squeeze himself in through there.

The words he spoke to her cut her deep - she knows everything he said is true; she's the one who spent three years stalking him, and causing his life to be miserable. She believes that justifies all that he's done to her these past few months; she brought everything on herself. Sighing, Lorna stares even deeper into her reflection as more tears fall from her eyes. It irritates her that she was doing so well for weeks now and one encounter with Christopher causes her to immediately go back to feeling the same way she did before.

A loud desperate knock on the door brings Lorna from her trance and she quickly grabs a brush from the drawer, running it through her hair. "I'll - I'll be out in a sec; just gotta finish brushing my hair," she hurriedly calls out, not wanting to worry her girlfriend any more than she probably already has. After a few minutes of letting the brush run through her hair, she puts it back in its place and exits the bathroom.

Nicky's standing in the doorway, looking her over with concern. She easily notices that Lorna's been crying with the faint tear marks down her cheeks. To see that makes her worry even more for her - after the things the brunette said last night, Nicky is terrified that she might do something regretful and end up harming herself. "Have you been crying, kid?" She asks, gently placing her hand on the smaller woman's shoulder while giving it a comforting squeeze.

"No, no, of course not," Lorna unconvincingly blurts out, desperately wiping at her tears. "Just allergies or somethin', nothing to worry about." She quickly goes back to the bedroom to grab her purse and hurries her way out of the apartment, outside to their car. She refuses to have Nicky worry about her – she's tired of being such a burden to her and everyone else.

Moments later, Nicky gets in the driver's side and starts the car. While backing up, she peers across at the brunette with a concerned expression on her face. She can easily see that the other's clearly upset, and refuses to let her suffer in silence. "Ya sure you're okay kid? Your eyes look red and puffy… If something's bothering you, you better tell me," she states seriously, a sternness in her tone. Gently, she places a hand over top of her girlfriend's and gives it a loving squeeze.

* * *

Doctor Reznikov is busy at her desk, working on leftover paperwork from her previous appointment. So, when the door suddenly opens she becomes a bit startled – she wasn't expecting her next patient until late afternoon. Looking up from her desk, she watches to see who enters her office and is somewhat surprised to see that it's Lorna and Nicky. She places a friendly smile on her face and motions for them to have a seat in the two chairs adjacent to the desk.

"How are the two of you?" Red questions as she gets up to start a kettle of tea. She observantly stares over at them, silently wondering what the reason for their visit is. Most of her patients hardly ever show up to see her without a scheduled appointment, but she's not against them doing so – especially if something serious might be troubling them.

Nicky answers before Lorna can – knowing full well her girlfriend will deny that anything's bothering her. "Lorna's been having some problems and I thought it would be best for her to come see you about them." She says, looking across at Lorna and isn't too surprised to see some anger rising within her facial expression. It's not a sight she likes to see but she knows that this is what's best for the young woman – she needs to start talking about what's going on and stop trying to pretend that everything is okay when it's clearly not.

Just by having a quick glance between the two women, the Russian therapist can distinguish that they haven't talked this decision over with one another. She lets out a quiet sigh as she tends to the beeping teapot. "That's a good start to want your girlfriend to get the help she needs. But you need to make sure to communicate with each other about it – it's ultimately up to Lorna whether she wants to come here or not. I'm happy to help her with whatever she needs but help cannot be forced." Doctor Reznikov responds, lifting the teapot from its place and bringing it to pour into the others' two cups.

Slightly irritated, Nicky rolls her eyes. If it _were_ up to her girlfriend, she'd let things go and allow her emotions to keep building up inside. And that would only make things worse – she'd probably resort to harming herself again or attempting another suicide, something Nicky will certainly not let happen. "You obviously don't know what's best for Lorna if you think it's her decision to make! She's always pretending that she's fine and everything is all rainbows and sunshine… If I fucking didn't bring her here she'd probably try to kill herself again! You don't fucking understand anything, Red," she angrily yells out, glaring madly ahead at the Russian.

Lorna feels somewhat hurt by what her girlfriend said about her – that Nicky would so quickly presume that she would resort to suicide. She doesn't say anything though, just keeps her eyes focused on the tabletop. Its pattern keeps her mind busy and tuned out from the conversation – a relief for her as she doesn't want to argue or cause any more trouble than she already thinks that she has.

"Last time I checked, Lorna's an adult and is therefore able to make decisions regarding her own health – physical or mental. You cannot force someone to go talk to a therapist when they aren't willing to do so, that will only make the relationship with said person strained. I understand more than you think," Doctor Reznikov calmly states, having a sip of her steaming tea. She averts her eyes over to Lorna, sighing when she sees that the woman appears to be in her own world. "Lorna, are you with us? You want to talk about what's going on?"

Hearing her name called, the brunette comes back to reality and stares over at Red. She gives her shoulders a slight shrug and a brisk reply to the question, "Not really." Talking about what's going on will only make her dwell on it more and she knows that's not good for her. She reaches for her cup of tea and slowly sips it. "All I want is to not think about anything, anymore. It's too much of a headache," her voice not much louder than a whisper as she stares into the contents of the Dixie-cup she's holding.

Nicky sighs in frustration, but feels a bit guilty for what she said about her own girlfriend. She looks at the brunette, quickly noticing the faint hurt that lays amongst her face and inwardly scolds herself for being so insensitive. "You _need_ to talk about it, kid! Keeping everything bottled up inside is gonna make you feel worse… why don't you understand that? Why do you not realize how much you're harming yourself by forcing your emotions to stay locked in? I'm not trying to hurt you but you need to open your eyes and start doing what's best for your health. I love you way too fucking much to just let you give up on yourself!" Her voice filled with compassion, but stern at the same time, as she carefully reaches to grab a hold of Lorna's hand.

Defiantly, Lorna shakes her head and continues to look away from the two women. She feels a rage surging through her body, which causes her to slam her firsts onto the desk – spilling both her and Nicky's tea in the process. When she sees the mess that her emotions have caused, she immediately has tears streaming down her cheeks as she gets up from her seat and grabs a handful of paper-towels. "S-s-sorry," she timidly says, beginning to clean the spilled beverage. "I'm-I'm so-so sorry for ruining your desk! I didn't mean to-to spill the tea!" More tears cover her face while she wipes up the spot on the desk in front of where she and Nicky are sitting.

Giving a sympathetic look towards the brunette, Doctor Reznikov gets up and goes over to help clean the mess. "It's not a problem, Lorna. I know you didn't mean to do it. Sit and calm down; I'll finish the rest," she gently says, taking the soaked paper-towels from Lorna and wiping the rest of her desk clean. "Are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about? Did something happen to make you upset?" She questions after throwing away the paper-towels and having a seat back in her chair.

"I-I just – I'm tired of being a fucking fuck-up," Lorna sobs out, burying her head into her folded arms. No matter how much progress she makes it will never be enough to ward off the self-hatred she has inside of her. "All I am is a disappointment – I can't do anything right!" She cries even harder, refusing to lift her face.

Angrily shaking her head, Nicky firmly grabs Lorna's head and forces her to look at her. She stares deep into her eyes – giving her a stern look as to make sure the other knows how serious she's being. "You are not a damn fuck-up or disappointment, so I need you to stop thinking that shit right fucking now! That's bullshit, Lorna, absolute fuckin' bullshit," she roughly says but wraps her arms gently around the brunette, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "You were doing so well these last few months – you haven't insulted yourself at all… And just one fucking incident with Christopher and you're back to wanting to kill yourself?! I hope he gets fucking killed in prison! You don't deserve to be fucking feeling this way; I hate seeing you like this, kid. I hate seeing you think this fucking bad of yourself because there is absolutely nothing I hate about you!" Her voice becomes softer as she holds tightly onto the shaking woman, who's still sobbing quite profusely.

Doctor Reznikov watches quietly, surprised at how the redhead's touch seems to be an instant comfort to her patient. She's never seen a relationship quite like the pair of them. It brings a warmth to her heart to know that there are still couples out there that love each other as much as these two – that would go to the ends of the earth for one another. "Is this the same Christopher from before? The one you told me about at our first session, Lorna?" She wonders, shocked at all the trouble this man has caused her patient.

Knowing Lorna's too upset to speak, Nicky answers for her as she curtly nods her head. "He's the fuckin' reason for all her problems! He's the reason she's without legs, why she fucking wants to end her life, why she feels like a fucking disappoint when she's the exact opposite! You know he's tried to kill her three times now?! He came to our apartment last night, and fucking hid in the damn bathroom. And he thought he was gonna escape with her through the fucking window. What a dumbass! Thank God, he's in prison right now or I'd slice his head off! He doesn't deserve to see the light of day – not when he thinks it's okay to fucking make such a precious woman like my Lorna feel as worthless as she does!" She presses a soothing kiss to the top of Lorna's head before laying it gently against her chest.

* * *

Lilly sits in the neonatal ICU beside the incubator her son is lying in. She sticks her hand through the hole to gently touch the baby's tiny cheeks. Seeing him finally out in the real world makes her feel an even deeper connection to him. She's never seen a more perfect or beautiful being than her tiny little son. Everything about him makes her heart swell. She smiles slightly, stroking his cheek tenderly with her thumb. "You're the most perfect thing in the world, Cooper. I can't believe you're my son – my baby!" She moves closer to his incubator, staring down at him with a glowing smile on her face. When she sees his eyes open – for the first time since birth – her heart melts and her smile gets bigger.

Walking over to her girlfriend with two coffees in hand, Miley takes a moment to watch the interaction from afar. It warms her heart to see the way Lilly is with her son – especially after the way he was conceived. She smiles as she walks over to her, carefully handing her one of the coffees. "How's the little guy doing this morning? He's beautiful, Lilly – he looks just like you," she softly says, looking in at the small baby.

Happily taking a sip of her coffee, Lilly grins as her eyes never leave her son's face. "He just opened his eyes! He looked right at me for almost a whole minute, it was such an amazing thing to see. His eyes are beautiful – a dark blue, they'll probably change though. I'm kind of relieved he looks like me…I was so nervous about how he'd come out." Her free hand reaches back in the hole to gently touch Cooper's face, making sure that he knows his mother is there with him. No matter how her son came to be, Lilly vows to make sure he always knows how much he means to her. She will never put anyone above her little boy – she will be the mother she never had.

Sympathy rises as Miley places a gentle hand onto the shorter woman's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. She knows how hard this pregnancy was for her, and how hard it's going to be for Lilly to have to care for him now – always having that nagging feeling of her past coming back to haunt her. "I know what you mean, sweetie. I'm glad he looks like you too; You're a beautiful human, Lilly, and you've passed that onto your precious baby. You're going to be such a wonderful mother to him – you are one of the most compassionate people I've ever met. Cooper's a lucky little fellow," her voice is soft as she gently runs a hand through the other's blonde hair.

* * *

"You wanna stop and see Lilly and her baby, Lorna? That should cheer you up a bit, kid – you love babies," Nicky gently suggests, pressing a kiss to Lorna's forehead as they slowly walk down the hall. She smiles a little when she sees the other give a somewhat enthusiastic nod to her question. She knew that would do the trick – Lorna did always talk about how much she loved getting to watch her nephew when he was an infant, so she figured visiting her sister's baby might bring a little happiness to her girlfriend's day.

When they approach the neonatal ICU, after being cleared by the on-call nurse, they quickly find where Lilly's son is and hurry over there. Nicky observes the way her sister is with the baby and can't help but feel a few tears well up in her eyes. "Motherhood suits you well, kid," she gently says, smiling kindly at Lilly – who's sitting in a chair holding the tiny preemie. She stares down at the baby, hardly able to believe just how tiny he is. He's barely bigger than Lilly's hands.

Lilly looks up from admiring her son's face to stare at her older sister, and then at Lorna. She smiles while tenderly using one finger to stroke tiny circles around the baby's cheek. "This is my first time holding him and it's the most amazing feeling ever. He's so tiny and weightless, it's a bit scary. Come over here and look at him, both of you. He's much cuter close up," she says, motioning with her hands for them to come.

The two women comply and slowly walk over to stand beside Lilly. Nicky peers down at the tiny being in her sister's arms and is a little surprised to see her own hand moving down to gently touch the baby's hair. "I gotta admit he is kinda cute. Only because he's got your hair and face, Lil. He's so damn tiny though – how can you hold him without fearing his slipping right outta your arms?" She speaks truthfully – she's never been a fan of children, babies especially, but seeing her nephew makes her heart melt a wee bit. He resembles Lilly's appearance almost identically, which Nicky is thankful for – she would have hated if he came out looking exactly like Paolo, because she knows that would have hurt Lilly for the rest of her life.

"I am terrified he'll slip away…. but he's too precious to not hold. Besides babies this young need to be held by their mothers, so that he can start forming his attachment to me. And the nurses said that's crucial – so I need to hold him for at least two hours every day. I'd love to hold him longer, but since he's still really small and needing a lot of medical intervention, he can't be held much. So, I'll just have to cherish the moments I get like this for now." Lilly states, bending down to press a small kiss onto her son's forehead. She smiles when she sees his eyes open a bit and stare up at her for a split second.

* * *

After spending a few hours with Lilly and her son, Nicky decides to take Lorna out for the afternoon – to keep her mind from drifting back into self-loathing mode. As she drives the car, she looks across at her girlfriend and smiles softly at her. "You wanna go shopping, kid? We can go to that favorite consignment shop of yours, if you want. Does that sound good?" She gently reaches over to grab a hold of one of the brunette's hands and strokes it softly with her thumb.

Lorna gives a slight nod but doesn't say anything. She leans her head against the window and closes her eyes, trying to clear her mind of all coherent thoughts. The feeling of Nicky's hand around her own brings a calming sensation over her, thus making it easier to keep bad thoughts from coming to her mind. Her girlfriend always seems to know just exactly how to make her feel better, without even realizing it.

Peering over at the silent brunette, Nicky grows a bit concerned. She grips her hand tighter, squeezing it lovingly to make sure Lorna knows she's there for her. "I love you – you know that, right baby?" When she gets a nod in response, she smiles a bit and brings her girlfriend's hand up to her lips, brushing them lovingly over her knuckles. "Everything okay, kid? Why are you being so quiet?" She hesitantly asks, not wanting to unintentionally upset her girlfriend again.

"Yes, yes everything's fine. I'm just – I need coffee, that's all," she blatantly says, not even moving her head off the window to stare at Nicky. It's mostly a lie, but Lorna refuses to let out her true emotions today. She just wants to do something to keep her mind busy, and is somewhat relieved that the redhead suggested they go shopping. Shopping always does calm her down as she's too busy focusing on what to buy than on what's going on inside her mind.

Nicky smiles, thankful to see that her girlfriend isn't entirely depressed. "Well, guess we'll just have to stop and get coffee first. Ay, kid?" She gives her hand a tender squeeze when she receives a nod from the other, and notices the small smile that sits on her face. "It's good to see a smile on that pretty face of yours, Lorna," she gently says, peering lovingly over at her girlfriend. Secretly, Nicky hopes that the rest of the day will go by smoothly and that Lorna doesn't have any more negative thoughts.

* * *

Immediately after sipping on the bold coffee, Lorna begins to perk up and leans her head happily onto Nicky's shoulder as they walk down the street to the consignment shop. "That coffee really did the trick, Nicky. I feel so alive now," she warmly says, pressing a loving kiss onto the taller woman's cheek, "I love you so much." Her brown eyes beam up at her girlfriend, silently telling her how happy she is to be with her.

The feeling of Lorna's head resting against her shoulder brings a warm, tingly, sensation through Nicky's body. She warmly presses her lips against the soft skin of her girlfriend's forehead, smiling down at her. "I love you too, kid." Her arms wrap loosely around Lorna's waist in a gentle embrace but also to – secretly – keep her balanced while walking. Since the brunette hasn't been wanting to use her crutches to help her walk, Nicky decides that holding her by the waist is the only subtle way she can make sure that she doesn't overdo anything.

A short walk down the street brings them to Lorna's favorite shop, where she hurriedly enters the building and begins roaming through the many racks of clothing. Nicky comes in behind her – a lot less enthusiastic about the items that surround them. She's happy, though, to see Lorna back to her optimistic self again. So, if she has to endure a few hours of watching her shop then that's just what she'll do.

Lorna looks through each rack of clothing very thoroughly, grabbing whatever catches her eye. By the time she makes it to the register, she has over ten outfits in her hands. She places them on the counter and then digs through her purse for her debit card. Once it's in her hands she reaches over the counter to hand it to the sales clerk. A few minutes' pass by and she becomes concerned when she sees the expression on the clerk's face. "Is there something wrong with my card? Why is it taking so long?" She asks, her voice quivering impatiently.

"Your card is being denied, ma'am," the clerk responds, harshly handing it back to Lorna. She stares disapprovingly at her, gathering up the clothes the young woman laid against her counter. "What's wrong with you? Going around town trying to scam stores, are you? You should be ashamed of yourself! Get the hell out of my store, now!" She yells out angrily, shoeing her away with her hand.

Rage building in her own body, Lorna shakes her head harshly while slamming her fists on the counter. "Just because my fucking card's been denied you're going to automatically assume I'm scamming you? What the fuck kind of logic _is that_? You don't have the right to kick me out because of that!" She screams back at the clerk, so loud that the entire store can hear her. Her hands shakily rummage through her purse for her phone; she dials the number to her bank company and impatiently waits out the rings. "Yes, hello? I'm trying to buy some stuff at a shop and this lady is telling me my card is being denied… This has to be a mistake, right? My card worked just fine the other day," she shakily speaks to the representative on the other line.

Lorna irritatingly waits for a response from the bank. But the answer she gets causes her stomach to do a flip. _There's absolutely no money in your bank account. A withdrawal of one thousand dollars –_ the entire amount she had in her account, every cent of it that she earned from her job – _was made a few days ago, by the co-signer of your account, Mr. Joe Morello._ Her own father stole from her. He went into her account and took out her entire savings – what kind of father does that to their own child? Who takes their daughter's money, that she worked hard to make?

Hanging up her phone, she throws it into her purse and tearfully runs out of the store – not even caring to find Nicky. She's too busy crying and running that she forgets how unstable she still is with the prosthetic legs, which causes them to give out on her and she ends up tumbling down to the ground. Unable to move, she buries her face into the cement of the sidewalk and allows her emotions to just freely come out.

* * *

Still in the store, Nicky becomes concerned when she doesn't see any sign of Lorna. She begins to worry that the young woman might have taken off, and could possibly be planning to do something regretful. The thought of that has her running out the door as quickly as she can. She walks briskly down the sidewalk, and feels a tad bit relieved to see Lorna's only a few feet away. But once she's close enough to her, her heart shatters at the sight of her girlfriend's lying face-first on the ground as she cries out.

Gently, Nicky crouches down on the sidewalk and pulls the quivering brunette into her arms. She cups her hands around Lorna's cheeks, peering softly into her eyes. "What's the matter, kid? What happened?" Her voice questions worriedly as she wraps her arms protectively around the smaller woman, scooping her up off the ground. She runs her hand soothingly through her girlfriend's brown hair, pressing her lips warmly against her cheek.

"My, my dad – he-he fucking stole my money, Nicky," she cries out, looking desperately up into the taller woman's eyes. "He fucking went into my bank account and withdrew every last fucking cent of the money that I worked hard for! I can't – I don't even…what the fuck is wrong with my family?! Fuck this shit – I can't deal with this anymore! If it's not one thing, it's another. God, I fucking wish I'd have let Christopher just shoot me last night – that's all I deserve. I can't deal with being alive anymore! Please just-just let me end my life, Nicky… You and everyone else will be better off without me." Lorna tries to push her way out of Nicky's arms but is too weak to do so.

Refusing to let go of her, the redhead holds her tighter. She looks down at her with tears starting to form in her own eyes. It hurts to know how much her girlfriend is suffering – to see her constantly battling with her self-hatred, Nicky can't stand for it. "No fucking way will I be letting you do something that fucking stupid, Lorna. I refuse to let you do anything that would cause you harm! I fucking love you, why the hell would I want you to kill yourself?! You are way too important to me to just fucking let you end your life. You are a good person, Lorna – a sweet, precious person. Your father is the fucked-up one; he's the one who should hate himself! He had absolutely no fucking right to even touch your money – you worked for that money, it's yours! He is the reason for all your problems, kid; he fucking didn't take care of you and now you're mentally broken. You didn't do anything to Christopher to be mean – you didn't fucking know it was wrong because no one took care of you properly! Please, kid, please stop hating yourself! You need to stop this, it's not helping you!" She practically begs as she stares pleadingly into Lorna's tearful eyes. She gently uses a finger to wipe away her tears, pressing a tender kiss down onto her forehead. "I know it's hard, baby, but you've got to stop this. You can't live like this, it's making everything so much harder for you."

* * *

That evening, Nicky sits on the couch as she scrolls through the channels on her television. Her eyes are focused on the screen so when she hears the bathroom door open, she grows concerned – wondering what Lorna might have been doing in there. She knows she shouldn't think like that about the woman she loves, but when she keeps going on about wanting to kill herself what else is Nicky supposed to think? Feeling the spot next to her sink a little, she looks over and smiles lovingly at the brunette. She wraps her arms protectively around her, kissing her lightly on the head. "You look exhausted, kid. Why don't you close your eyes and try to rest some?" Nicky suggests as she comfortingly lays her girlfriend's head against her chest, running her fingers delicately through her dark hair.

Lorna wraps her arms tightly around the taller woman's neck, snuggling into the warmth her body is giving off. "I'm sorry, Nicky – for wanting to kill myself and stuff… I know it would hurt you if I did that… I won't but I just – how did I end up with someone like you? Someone who actually truly loves me the way I love them. I don't-I don't deserve you, Nicky; you're too good to and for me." She quietly states, peering up at the redhead with big eyes. She can see faint tear stains on her cheeks which makes her snuggle closer in Nicky's arms, and presses her lips against her neck as she holds on tight to it.

Hearing that makes Nicky pull her even closer, holding her tighter as she stares down into her sparkling brown eyes. She cups her face in her hands, "You think you don't deserve me? You think you don't deserve my love? Lorna, baby, why do you think that way? Why? Why do you think you shouldn't be loved? Please tell me, baby. I wanna know why you feel this way." Her voice soft against Lorna's ear as she peers at her lovingly. She strokes the side of her cheek, waiting patiently for an answer.

"I don't – I don't know… I just feel, I feel like I don't – I don't do any good for you," she says, hardly loud enough to be heard.

Nicky must hold in a chuckle when she hears Lorna say that. She lifts the younger woman's chin so that their eyes meet and smiles at her. "That is a bunch of bullshit, kid. You do so much good for me – you've made my life so much more meaningful, Lorna! You've fucking helped my sister just the other day when she gave birth all alone – the fuck kind of nonsense are you thinking, saying you do no good for me? She and the baby could have died had you not been there to help them, baby! So, thanks to you – my beautiful girlfriend – I still have my sister around and a little nephew. I'd say that's alotta good ya done me, kid. Plus, I have you in my life; that's the best that you could do for me. Just having you with me is good enough, Lorna. Now you stop this nonsense, and just agree that you deserve to be loved. Because I refuse to stop loving you; _I need you in my life_ , baby. You need quit the self-loathing and suicidal shit because I cannot live without you. I fucking mean it, Lorna. You mean so much to me; I want to spend the rest of my life with you," her voice is soft and firm with love as she keeps a tight hold on her girlfriend. She presses a tender kiss to Lorna's lips, peering sternly into her eyes, "Can you promise me that you'll try not to put yourself down all the time, kid?" When she receives a satisfying nod in response, she smiles warmly and gives her another soft peck on the lips before placing Lorna's head back onto her chest. "Good. Now, seriously, close your eyes and rest. You look so exhausted. I love you so much, baby; I'll never stop."


End file.
